Trial by Error
by debraelq
Summary: Dean as a dad, Bela as the crazy ex, Cas as her closeted, hot lawyer. destiel AU. Thanks catbean715 for the summary idea.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is AU. No magic or supernatural stuff although that could have been fun, too. Just the amazing characters to play with. Also the liberal use of the Novak last name. Hope you enjoy!

Trial by Error

Chapter 1

"You're going to wear a damn hole in the floor."

Dean Winchester stopped pacing long enough to glare at his friend – and attorney.

"They're doing this on purpose," he said. "Wearing us down so they can go in for the kill."

"And you're playing right into their hands."

Dean sighed, plopping down in his chair in frustration.

It wasn't just any chair, either. It was a leather one with nine matching brothers, all lined up and standing guard against a polished Mahogany table. Just one of those babies probably cost more than his _baby, _his beloved impala. Even the carpeting he was abusing was a dark gray plush. Who put that kind of carpeting in an office building anyway? Dean shook his head. Of course, Bela would hire the best attorneys in the whole state of Kansas. She had the money, or rather her family had the money, and her dad never did much like his son-in-law.

In comparison, Dean had Robert Singer. Lawyer by day, junk-man on the side. Bobby didn't look like your typical attorney; he was a small-town boy with a gruff exterior and a heart of gold. Although he was in his early 40s, his years of whiskey and women aged him even further. Time well spent, he would say.

Dean didn't care how many fancy lawyers his soon to be ex-wife had on her team, he would take Bobby any day. Especially, when there was so much at stake. Micah and Eli were the best things to come out of his crappy marriage. They didn't deserve what was happening to them. They deserved a family.

Dean had tried to make it work. He didn't want them growing up like he had. No mom and a dad who was gone or _gone_ all the time. He practically raised his little brother, Sammy, all by himself. They did all right, though. They made it. But he wanted better for his kids.

Within the last year, things with Bela had gone from not great to disastrous in no time flat. Daily arguments that no one really won anymore seemed the norm. Not that fighting was unusual for them. Hell, Bela seemed to thrive on it. Said that angry sex was her favorite. Although back then, it had been somewhat good; now he couldn't stand to even look at her.

Then without warning she up and left. Ran off to mommy and daddy's, or so he thought. It's not like he really tried that hard to find her.

Things were instantly harder and easier at the same time. Being a full-time dad was difficult but no more so than the fights and having to put the kids in their room while they "discussed things".

Dean could breath again; he was finally free.

Until a week ago.

Bella suddenly reappeared and demanded her children. He naturally said over his dead body. Of course, he wouldn't have been surprised to find a hit out on him… Instead she filed for custody. Full custody.

Playing the victim, she cited Dean's temper and wandering eye as reasons in the court papers. It was bull-shit. He never hit her, although he wanted to. She thrown a punch or two, in her day. Of course no one would believe him. The prior assault charge from a barroom fight guaranteed that, even though the charges were dropped. People in small towns have long memories. She also called the police a few times during their fights. Which made him wonder if she'd been planning this all along.

As for a wandering eye – Dean had looked. Of course he had. He was a man after all. But he never cheated on her. He was always faithful, something he was sure Bela couldn't say, not truthfully.

What disturbed him the most was not that his eye had wandered, but to _where _it had wandered. Lately, he found himself being drawn more towards guys. Hell, maybe Bela turned him off women for good. He didn't dwell on why, in fact, he tried to ignore those feelings at all any time they came up.

Until last night. In a lapse of bad judgment, he went out to a bar. A gay bar. His reasoning wasn't clear, even to himself. There was this slim chance he could work things out with Bela and keep his family together. And before that happened he had to know. Could he find that thing he was missing? That piece that would fit and somehow keep him from feeling as if he was put together wrong?

He found his truth in the form of the dark-haired stranger. He didn't want there to be any doubt in his mind, so he took the initiative and found himself on his knees staring up into bright blue eyes filled with lust. What he discovered both surprised him and yet seemed completely right; sucking off a man he'd just met in a dirty bathroom had him harder than anything he'd ever experienced.

Although he had his answer, it just complicated his problem. This was a small town in Kansas. Where there were almost more churches than people. If the court found out he was even remotely gay he would lose custody of his kids faster than you could say, 'God hates fags'.

And yet, he knew he couldn't go back to Bela. He would fight to the end for his kids, and no one needed to know about his little indiscretion. No one could ever know.

The sound of the door opening caught his attention.

"Finally," Bobby mumbled.

Amid a pack of suits Bela strolled in, a self-satisfied smile on her face.

An older man, his bald head gleaming as if he'd polished it as often as the furniture. seemed to be the leader. "Gentlemen," he said. "I'm Zachariah Novak. Counsel for Mrs. Talbot-Winchester. Sorry to keep you waiting."

"I'll bet," Dean said under his breath.

The men were all intimidating in their expensive, perfectly groomed suits, except for one. The last man to sit down had dark ruffled hair, as if it had simply refused to cooperate. His tie was slightly undone, and his blue eyes flickered in recognition as they landed on Dean.

That's when Dean knew he was seriously screwed.

Conspiracy theories filled his head as he tried to focus on the discussion at hand. Did they plant that guy at the bar, just so they could catch him with his hand in the cookie jar or his mouth on… whatever...?

It had to be a coincidence. Surely, if blue eyes, Jimmy, his mind supplied helpfully, had said something they wouldn't even be here. End of story. Case closed.

"Are we boring you, Dean?" Zachariah asked. He nodded towards the dark-haired man. "Castiel, get Mr. Winchester some coffee."

"I'm fine." He looked from the asshole with the smug smile to the other guy who looked positively uncomfortable."But now that you mention it, you are starting to piss me off."

"Dean." Bobby shook his head slightly.

"You'd better keep your client in line counselor. His temper is well known. That famous Winchester temper."

That crack was not only aimed at him, but at his dad. Dean was done. He wasn't taking any more of this guy's crap. Bobby_'s_ hand on his arm stopped him. The message was as clear as if he was yelling it in his ear. _Don't do anything stupid idjit._

They were baiting him, and he was feeding right into it.

Dean smiled instead. "Don't believe everything you hear." He chanced a look at Castiel, what an unusual name. It suited him better than Jimmy. Their eyes met briefly before the other man's glance skittered away.

"Back to the important things," Zachariah said. "We think this is a reasonable amount for alimony…"

He pushed the paper toward Dean. As if saying the amount out loud was unseemly. Looking at the obscene amount of money listed, he thought maybe that was the point. "Are you kidding me? Why does she need all that money? Her family is loaded." Dean glared at Bela. Her smile was just as smug as her lawyer's.

"My client has given up five years of her life to take care of you and the children. She threw away an up-and-coming career in business, so that you could become a… mechanic." He spit the word out as if it had left a bad taste in his mouth.

"I didn't ask you to." Dean addressed his wife, ignoring the smug bastard in the expensive suit.

"That's irrelevant. She needs compensation. She has no marketable skills."

"How about screwing people over?"

"Dean," Bobby said in exasperation.

"Bobby, this is ridiculous."

"Just let me do my job."

But Dean had had enough. Seeing Bela again. Being treated like a piece of shit by her dick-wad of an attorney. And knowing that one word from the man at the end of the table could destroy everything. His children would be taken from him… his family gone. And yet even now he was drawn to him, remembering the feel of his hand in his hair, the smell of him… The taste…

It was too much.

His chair scraped the floor as he stood up. Before he could say anything Bobby was on his feet.

"Could we take a break?"

Crisis averted. Again. Thank God for his old friend. Bobby had had been looking after him since he was knee-high. Always there to clean up the mess when John Winchester blew a gasket. Now he was doing the same for Dean.

"Of course," Zachariah said. A slight nod of his head and all the other suits followed him out. As Bela smirked at in his general direction, Dean had to convince himself that violence wouldn't help him keep his family together.

Once they were gone, he turned to his old friend.

"You don't need to say it."

"Apparently, I do," Bobby said. "Play nice, Dean."

"What's the point? I'm not giving up on the kids and neither is she so why are we wasting our time here instead of going to court?"

"I'm not sure. But with the way she just up and left the kids, I'm not entirely convinced she wants them either."

"Then what? It's not like I'm rich."

Bobby shook his head. "We'll just have to wait and see. Meanwhile keep your pie hole shut." He gave Dean a stern look as he headed for the door. "I'm going to stretch my legs."

Which meant he was going to the car to get a swig of whiskey. Awesome.

Although he was tempted to follow, Dean decided to go in search of a restroom instead. A few moments alone and some cold water on his face would do him a hell of a lot of good. A fancy place like this probably had several. Finding the nearest one, he pushed the door open, hoping the suits had their own private bathrooms so he could avoid getting into any more trouble.

As he came face-to-face with the last person he wanted to see, he realized that was obviously too much to ask.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks to everyone for making my first trip into Supernatural fanfiction writing painless. This is a short chapter but the boys interact so there's that. More coming soon.

Chapter 2

"Hello Dean."

The words were growled out, like the low purr of a car engine, exciting and somehow intimate. Dean pushed away memories of whispered words in his ear and heated kisses on his neck, focusing instead on the actual person in front of him.

He was surprised to find the man was a mess. His appearance had deteriorated quickly within the last fifteen minutes or so. Dark hair stuck up in every direction and his tie hung loosely around his neck, as if the mere act of breathing had been difficult. Dean could definitely relate. He was having trouble with that particular task himself.

He glanced around cautiously to make sure they were alone. This conversation was bound to be awkward. They definitely didn't need an audience.

"Hey, Jimmy... or whatever you're calling yourself today."

"My name is Castiel."

"Apparently," Dean said dryly. "I can't believe you gave me a fake name…"

"Jimmy is my middle name."

Contrary to his physical appearance, the other man seemed calm, almost bored, and for some reason that irritated the crap out of Dean.

"Goody for you."

Castiel tilted his head. His eyes probing as if picking him apart, layer by layer. "You said you were a fireman," he said, finally. "When, if I'm not mistaken, you're actually a mechanic."

"I didn't lie. I volunteer on the side." Dean didn't like the way the conversation was going. It was time to take charge. "Just FYI, if you're trying to get into someone's pants, tax accountant doesn't exactly scream sexy."

"And yet it seemed to work."

It was said so matter-of-fact he couldn't tell if he was joking or making an observation. Dean flushed hotly, a mixture of humiliation and desire. To be honest, Castiel could make any profession look hot. It wasn't fair that his eyes could be that blue and his body... The whole thing pissed Dean off even further.

"So was this all planned?"

He tilted his head again. Obviously a habit. "I don't understand…"

"This." Dean indicated the two of them. "You and me. Did you go there last night to catch me? Trap me?"

"You think I wanted this to happen?

"You certainly wanted it last night."

Castiel's eyes flashed angrily as he stepped toward him. "Are you insane? I could lose my job. Be disbarred."

Pent up emotion radiated off him in waves, and Dean resisted the urge to back up. All that intensity aimed at him was a little overwhelming. And it really shouldn't turn him on as much as it did.

Still, it didn't really make sense.

"Why? I mean, if you're telling the truth, you didn't know. They can't blame you."

"Dean," he said, as if he was explaining it to a child. "I know now, and it's clearly a conflict..."

That was an understatement. Getting a blow job from the opposing party in your client's custody case was probably frowned upon.

"The ethical thing to do would be to go to Zachariah and ask to be taken off this case."

"So are you going to do that?" Although it would be the best thing for both of them, he couldn't deny that the idea still bothered him.

"No," Castiel said, resigned. "I can't. They'll ask questions I can't answer."

Suddenly, it all made sense. "They don't know you're gay."

He shook his head sadly. "If they found out, I would lose my job."

That was really messed up. "Can they actually do that?"

"I'm sure they'd find some politically correct way of accomplishing it. The result, however, would be the same."

He seemed so frustrated. So lost. "I'm sorry, Cas."

Again with the puzzled look." It's not your fault, Dean."

When he looked at him like that, like he couldn't quite figure him out, but he wanted to... Dean had the sudden urge to kiss him. To erase the sadness in any way he could. Still, getting caught making out in the men's room wouldn't help their situation at all.

"So yeah well… What do we do now?"

"That's easy. Just pretend like it never happened. I'll do my job, and you do what you need to do."

The look on his face was so earnest. As if he truly believed it was that simple. And for him, maybe it was. It definitely wasn't that easy for Dean. He couldn't forget. Didn't want to forget.

"We can't meet again. It's against all the rules to even talk to you like this."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Seriously?" he said. "I didn't plan this. I came in here to pee." Maybe he snapped a little too much, but he was irritated. How could Castiel just shut off all emotion like that? "I have just as much to lose, you know. If they found out, I could lose custody of my kids. That can't happen. So no one can know that I'm…you know..."

"Gay?"

"Whatever," Dean said crossly.

Castiel laughed, shaking his head. "Then I have a suggestion for you, Mr. Winchester."

His smile was almost infectious, and Dean had a hard time looking away. "Yeah, what's that?"

"You might want to watch what you put in your mouth, from now on."

And then with one last amused look, he was gone.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks to everyone reading this! A special thanks to my reviewers: ooo a jellybean, mykyou, and snowin' you. Here's a new chapter just for you. :)

Chapter 3

Dean loved afternoons like these. It'd been a slow day at the shop, so he came home early. The kids were playing quietly on the floor, barely watching the cartoons on the TV. A basket of clothes sat next to him, ready to be folded. If Sam was there he would make fun of his domesticity. It was certainly a far cry from the boy who loved whiskey, women, and partying. Of course, getting busted for fighting in a bar put a damper on those good times. But anyone talking shit on his dad, should expect a punch in the mouth.

It was laundry day, and Jo had volunteered to help him fold. She was, without a doubt, the best nanny in the whole world. She took care of the kids, the house, and sometimes him. It used to piss Bela off. It wasn't because she cared about him or the kids. She just hated not being the center of attention.

It was a bit daunting how quickly the laundry piled up with little ones, but they had a pretty good system going on. Jo would wash them during the day, and Dean would fold when he got home. She was also his best friend, but he suspected her offer was less about helping him and more about being nosy.

"You're holding out on me, Dean. I know you can fold and talk at the same time."

"Seriously, Jo. There's not much else to tell," he said. "The meeting broke up pretty quickly. That Zachariah guy got pushy. Bela started fake crying. And Bobby told them all to shove it up their…"

He glanced over at the kids. Micah and Eli were three and 18 months respectively. Dean learned the hard way how quickly they could pick up on stuff.

"… pie-hole," he finished.

Jo laughed. "I'm sure that's what Bobby said."

"Close enough."

"I want to know more about this guy," Jo said grinning at him.

He knew exactly who she meant. "Mostly, he just stayed in the background. Trying to blend in, I guess."

"You like him?" She sorted the clothes as she went, moving much faster than Dean.

"Actually he's kind of a… D… I… C… K," he said, glancing at the kids once again.

"So that's a yes."

He tossed a rolled up pair of socks at her, which she promptly caught and tossed back.

No matter what Bela thought, they were just friends. They had known each other forever. Dean was also close to his brother Sam – practically raised the kid. But this wasn't something he could talk to Sam about.

"So he's hot?" she prompted.

Dean knew she wasn't giving up on this. "Un.." he said with a smile, "believably hot."

Jo laughed. The cuss word was implied, but they both knew where it belonged.

Dean watched his kids play. He couldn't stand the thought of losing them. They were his life. Eli had blonde hair, reminding him of Sam at a very young age. Micah had darker hair like her mom. That's where the similarity ended. She was a sweet happy child, with none of Bela's bitterness.

Every once in a while Eli brought him a toy to hold before taking it back again. They played this game a lot. Then he lost interest and went back to sit next to his sister.

"I'm listening. Tell me more."

"Okay, well, you know how I was feeling down a few days ago? I went to the... _store_ looking for some… f_ruit._" Dean folded a tiny pair of jeans as he continued, not looking at her.

"Fruit?" Jo was trying to keep a straight face.

"I was tired of vegetables. So sue me."

"Did they have a good variety at the… store?"

"The selection was okay, but they were a bit too friendly, if you know what I mean. No means no."

Jo laughed, shaking her head. "Now you know how women feel."

"Da da..."

Dean was relieved by the interruption as Eli toddled up to them. "Book," he said clearly, handing over his favorite one. He only knew a few words, but this was one he said often. Dean ruffled his blonde hair and pulled him into his lap. Jo could wait. Nothing was more important than this. It only took a few minutes before he was done. Eli grabbed the book with his little fingers and promptly gave it back. "Book," he said with determination. Dean knew from experience that this could go on for quite a while. Eli never tired of hearing the same story over and over. He indulged a few more times before sitting him down. As expected he started to whine.

"Go play with Micah," Dean said distracting him.

It worked like a charm. Brother and sister were soon playing again.

Jo had been waiting patiently, although he could tell she was eager to hear the rest of the story.

"Tell me about him."

Dean felt a little like a teenage girl, and it irked him. Still, he leaned forward as if he was telling her the world's biggest secret. Maybe he was. "He was sitting at the end of the bar by himself… dark, brooding, and sexy as hell."

Dean would never forget those first few moments. He'd actually been nervous, which rarely happened.

"Hey," he'd said, slightly breathless.

"Hello."

The pickup line he'd practiced in his head vanished. Dean wasn't one to be swayed just by good looks, not since Bela anyway. But the combination of a sexy voice and blue eyes so intense he couldn't possibly look away left him stunned. His hair was dark, and just long enough to grab on to. That thought had almost done him in. There was a slight stumble on his face and a rumpled look about him that was totally charming. The innocence in his eyes, as if he couldn't understand why Dean was staring, however, clinched the deal.

"That must be some memory," Jo said softly, waking him out of his trance.

"Yeah, well… Let's just say he had me at hello."

As her smile widened, he rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

"Details… I need details."

"We had a few drinks, talked a little, and went to the…" He looked over at the kids. "… storage room in record time."

Jimmy had seemed nervous and unsure, but Dean had no trouble convincing him. Touching, biting, and pushing were all involved in the process.

"Any…" She held up a Hershey's kiss from candy bowl with a mischievous look. "Chocolate?"

"No."

"But you love chocolate."

"I do," he said. "It just seemed too intimate."

"Seriously?"

"I can't explain it okay? I wanted to. God did I want to."

"So what _did _you do?"

Dean thought about how to phrase it. "Let's just say, I enjoyed the taste of … watermelon."

"Really. Sure it wasn't more like a kiwi?" She held her fingers close together to emphasize her point.

"Nope. I'm talking a big, juicy melon."

Jo laughed, causing Dean to smile in return. "Who knew Dean Winchester enjoyed fruit."

"Hey, no one was more surprised than me. I mean I can't say I never thought about it before, but honestly Jo, it was so intense, hot. I've never felt like this…"

The memory was so vivid: the musky smell, the taste of his skin, the sounds of his moans, the look on his face.

"You _really_ like this guy, huh."

"He's the enemy, Jo."

A squawk of displeasure rose from Eli, and Dean was glad for the momentary distraction. "Micah, give your brother back his toy."

"So not my question."

He wasn't one to talk about his feelings. Hell, he didn't even like thinking about them. But this was Jo. His best friend. He could trust her.

"I don't know," Dean said with a sigh. "It's like when he looked at me, I was gone."

He glanced up and sure enough she was giving him _that_ look.

"Stop it."

"It's sweet. I don't think I've ever seen you so smitten before. Well, not since me."

"That was second-grade," he said. "I was still stupid back than." He became serious. "He's still the enemy."

"I know."

Dean piled the folded clothes into the basket. "I'm going to take these upstairs, before we start braiding each others hair."

He was almost to the stairs when she stopped him.

"Dean?"

He could hear the amusement in her voice, and he almost ignored her. Like that would work.

"What?" he asked gruffly.

"I was just wondering, when you were enjoying that…" She paused for effect. "_Watermelon_. Did you swallow the seeds or spit them out?"

"Just… Shut up," Dean said before escaping, her laughter following him up the stairs.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I'm so excited about the response from everyone. Hope you enjoy this chapter. It's the longest yet.

Trial by Error

Chapter 4

The main law office of Novak and Sons was located in downtown Kansas City. A beautiful international style building, it's structural grid was clad in white Georgian marble that reached gracefully toward the sky. Their office in Lawrence Kansas was somewhat less impressive but no less intimidating. At least not to Castiel. It had nothing to do with the actual building; it was more about the soul crushing sense of duty that came with it.

He hated being a lawyer. Hated it. Many years of school and several years of practice did nothing to endear him to the occupation. Unfortunately it was the family business. All his brothers were attorneys, and he had known from an early age that this was his destiny. The thought of defying his father had never seriously crossed his mind. Instead, he rebelled in little ways: ruffled hair, his tie not exactly straight, his jacket not buttoned. It didn't really accomplish anything, but somehow it helped him survive.

His brothers would just shake their heads, Zachariah with impatience and Michael more fondly. He loved his brothers – he really did – but less so when they were being dicks. Zachariah being the biggest one of all. He wanted to be daddy's favorite and hated when Castiel was shown any affection-a result of being the baby of the family.

Castiel had a passion for numbers. He felt awkward around people, but numbers never lied to you or pretended to be something they weren't. That's really what he wanted to do. He wanted to be an accountant. He didn't exactly lie to Dean about what he did. Every tax season he spent his off time doing taxes on the side. It was also something he didn't discuss with his family.

As Dean said, it wasn't really very sexy, but he didn't care. It was what he was good at. What he loved to do.

Dean. Another thing that was forbidden. Still, he couldn't regret their the initial encounter. The memory of Dean on his knees, staring up at him haunted him at night, in all the best ways. And as guilty as it made him feel, it was just one of many guilty things, and this one he was glad to willingly bear. Perhaps it was just another way for him to rebel.

Sometimes his emotions were much stronger. Lately, anger welled up inside him. He wasn't one to frequent bars. In fact, this was first. He'd experimented with guys in college, in a more understanding environment, but nothing had prepared him for Dean Winchester.

It scared him when he thought of how much he wanted from him. It wasn't just sex; he felt something more profound when he looked into those green eyes. In fact, he originally thought of trying to find him again but now…

He couldn't have Dean, any part of him. Not without losing everything. Or without Dean losing everything. Castiel could feel the weight on his shoulders. It seemed to grow heavier each day. His responsibility to the law firm, to his family, to his father. He wanted to throw it all away. Risk everything. This wasn't the first time he'd had such reckless thoughts. But until this moment, he'd had no reason... no incentive to fight the system.

What scared him the most was that for Dean, he might just risk it all.

"Castiel. Get in here."

His brother's voice startled him, and he almost dropped his coffee. He quickly complied, taking a seat in the much larger office.

"Bela Talbot-Winchester is coming in this afternoon, and I want you in the meeting."

Castiel refused to squirm under his brothers glare. Just because he didn't enjoy his job, didn't mean he wasn't good at it. Zachariah always treated him as if he was a child.

"Fine."

"Castiel?"

"I said fine." He knew the anger in his voice was misplaced, but he couldn't keep it from seeping through.

"I need you on this one. No moping. No grumbling. I need you with me 100%."

He wanted to rebel. He wanted to tell them to go to hell. But this was his duty; he couldn't let them down..

"I'll be there."

"Good," Zachariah said smugly. "The meetings at 1 o'clock. Don't be late."

Recognizing the dismissive tone in his bother's voice, he rose to leave.

"And Castiel?" He stopped, waiting without turning around. "Before she gets here, fix that stupid tie."

~#~#~

"Mr. Novak. You have a call on line one."

Castiel was immediately on edge. He didn't usually get outside calls.

"Who is it?"

"He said his name was Jimmy and that he was a friend."

Castiel closed his eyes for second trying to remain calm. It was difficult, because he was severely pissed. At Dean for taking this chance, and at himself for the flutter of excitement that ran through him.

"Mr. Novak?"

"That's fine, Marjorie. Put him through." He took a deep breath, needing to prepare himself for the upcoming conversation. "Hello?"

"Hey Cas."

Any hope that it wasn't actually Dean flew out the window. His pulse increased about 1000%.

"Dean."

"Sorry. I know I shouldn't be calling you here."

"Then why are you?" He tried to keep his voice low, since the door to his office was open. He was tempted to put him on hold until he could close it, but that might cause more suspicion.

"I just… Can we talk in person?" Dean asked.

"No."

"Jesus, Cas. Don't sugarcoat it."

He could feel his frustration growing by the minute. "You shouldn't have called. They could trace this call. Did you think of that?"

The anger was seeping through, threatening to pull him down into it's depths.

"I'm using a pay phone," Dean said, sounding just as pissed. "Excuse the hell out of me for bothering you."

The guilt, always there on the edge, stopped him from hanging up. It must've taken a lot for Dean to call. To reach out. "Dean wait," he said. "It's not that I don't want to see you…"

"Yeah?" He could hear the hope in his voice. This was a bad idea on so many levels.

"Tell me where," Castiel said, his voice re-signed.

The theater was dark, practically deserted. Except for a couple in the back, they were alone. He could barely make out Dean's form sitting in the middle, with a bucket of popcorn.

"Hello Dean," he said, taking the seat next to him.

"Cas."

"Why am I here?"

When Dean paused, he glanced over at him. He found himself drawn to the half smile on the other man's lips.

"Because you can't stay away?" Dean said.

That was the absolute truth, but he wasn't admitting anything.

"We're done."

As he stood to leave, Dean grabbed his arm.

"Are you always this uptight? Come on Cas, talk to me."

Castiel glanced at his hand trying to ignore the feelings that small touch evoked."

Dean removed his hand. "I just want to talk okay?"

Losing his internal battle, Castiel shook his head, as he sat back down. "You're risking a lot. Do you realized that?"

"So you're worried about me?"

"I'm worried about both of us. Talk."

Dean swallowed, seeming nervous. Which was crazy. The man was pure sex, while Castiel was just awkward.

"I don't normally do that sort of thing. I wanted you to know that. And I didn't cheat on Bela when we were together. I just wanted you to know that."

They were both talking low and the darkness made it seem even more intimate.

"Why?"

"Excuse me?"

"Why did you want me to know. I told you I wasn't going to say anything."

"I'm not worried about that," Dean sighed. "It's just important that you know."

They were only inches apart, and Castiel wanted nothing more than to reduce the distance between them, and to kiss lips that he mistakenly didn't kiss when he had the chance. At that point nothing seemed to matter. Not the firm...or his dad...

or Dean's kids.

Crap.

Dean was staring at his lips as he reached up to touch Castiel's face.

He was only human, but he had to stop this. Because at this point, he wasn't sure Dean could.

"We can't," Castiel whispered.

"Says who?"

Castiel covered Dean's hand, linking their fingers together. He placed a soft kiss on his palm. Dean's eyes closed as he bit into the fleshy part under his thumb.

"I want you so much, Dean," he said, his voice husky with desire.

"I just... I can't stop thinking about you."

"I have that problem as well," he whispered. "But I also want you to have a fair chance at getting custody of your kids. This..." He released his hand. "This is not going to help with that. In fact, it could seriously hurt your chances."

"I know." Dean stared down at his hand, absently rubbing where Castiel had kissed him. "That's not why I'm here. I know they will try to paint me as the bad guy. No matter what they say, Cas, don't believe it, okay? That's all I wanted to say."

He nodded his assent. There was no doubt they would try to do that. He was well familiar with his brother's tactics.

"Thanks." Dean smiled at him.

He couldn't help but smile in return. "Goodbye, Dean," he said before standing up and walking away.

~#~#~

Castiel really hated Bela. She was their client and for that reason alone, he had to be nice to her. It was getting more difficult by the minute.

"I think he's sleeping with the nanny," she said, as soon as they were all gathered together.

"Of course, he is," Zachariah agreed.

Just for a minute, Castiel wondered if Dean warned him of this because he knew what Bela would do, or because it was true. He shook those thoughts away. If he trusted anyone here, it was Dean. Not that it was really any of his business who Dean slept with in the first place.

"How does that make him a bad father?"

Everyone turned to stare at him. He was uncomfortable with Bela's calculating gaze on him. That woman was pure evil.

"Castiel," Zachariah said disapprovingly.

"No, wait. He has a point." Michael was always the diplomatic one. "We need more than that to prove he's erratic, that he only cares about himself."

"Okay, fine. It shouldn't be too hard to get proof." Zachariah turned to Bela. "They're always together, right?" At her nod, he smiled. "Castiel will follow them, and get the proof we need."

"No, I won't." He glared at his brother. He was not doing this.

"Michael, can you get Mrs. Winchester some coffee or whatever she wants? Castiel and I have a few things to discuss in my office."

When they were alone, Zachariah turned on him.

"You will do this, Castiel," he said angrily.

"It's a stupid idea. Don't you think he'll notice that one of Bela's attorneys is suddenly following him?"

"Honestly, I doubt he'll even recognize you. You tend to blend into the background. In this case, it's a blessing."

Normally, the way his brother put him down would bother him. Not this time. He felt some satisfaction in that. What would Zachariah say if he knew how much Dean Winchester actually did notice him? Probably have a heart attack.

"What is up with you lately? You're so testy. Seriously, Castiel, get yourself together. If you lose this case for us, Father will not be pleased."

Always playing the family card. The guilt that never seemed to go away intensified. He couldn't disappoint them.

"Fine," he said. "I'll try to get pictures of them together, but I'm not promising anything."

"That's my boy."

As Zachariah led the way back into the conference room, Castiel wondered how he was ever going to pull this off.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Thanks to everyone! Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 5

Normally, Castiel didn't mind this part of the job. It wasn't that he enjoyed spying on people, he just liked getting away from the office. Puzzles, mysteries, figuring things out… This was the part of being a lawyer that he enjoyed. The part that he hated involved his brothers, court, and being suffocated by his obligations.

But he couldn't enjoy this. He was spying on Dean and his family. Looking for whatever dirt he could stir up. At best he was betraying his trust; at worst he was finding out things he didn't want to know. And helping that coldhearted bitch take Dean's children away.

All in all, he wanted to be anywhere else.

He was dressed in black, as cliché as it sounded. Dark jeans, a black button-down shirt, black tennis shoes, and sunglasses completed his outfit. He was as far from his normal dress as possible. And yet he had no illusions that Dean would not recognize him.

He sipped his white chocolate mocha with a double shot of espresso slowly, letting the warmth wash over him. He was parked far away from the house, but close enough to see. Of course, the firm had high-tech equipment, only the best camera would do, so he knew he could get the shots he needed. Dean was home, so everything was set. As he slouched down in his seat, he prepared himself for a long night.

An hour later, he had movement. The front door opened abruptly startling him out of his catatonic state. Giggles reached his ears as he watched Dean being pulled by the hand by a 3 to 4-year-old girl.

"Come on daddy," she said insistently.

"Slowdown Micah." The little boy Dean carried had his arms tightly wound around his neck. A diaper bag was on his other arm.

Castiel couldn't help the smile on his face. He snapped a few pictures just to spite Zachariah. He was sure any pictures that emphasized what a good father Dean was would just get erased, but he didn't care.

He was just doing his job.

Dean had the kids strapped in within minutes, and in no time they were on their way. Castiel followed at a distance. He absolutely could not let Dean catch him.

Less than half a mile later, they were the grocery store. Castiel shook his head. Seriously? What did Zachariah think he would find?

The answer came unexpectedly in the form of the petite but beautiful young woman with dark blond hair. A wave of uncertainty that was followed quickly by jealousy washed over him as Dean wrapped his arms around her. The hug lasted longer than he expected, giving him plenty of time to get the shots. He knew it was Jo, the nanny, from her picture. Even so he had to wonder – they saw each other every day and yet their greeting had been so... purposeful. It didn't make any sense, unless they really were sleeping together. As soon as the kids were out of the car, she lifted the little girl into the air.

Castiel snapped picture after picture trying to ignore the pain he felt every time they touched. They appeared to be a happy family. If he hadn't known the truth he would've assumed the children were both of theirs.

He continued clicking until they disappeared into the grocery store. The smart thing to do now would be to wait in his car until they were done. It would be extremely foolish for him to go in. And yet he was thinking about it. He wanted to know for sure if they were together.

Not that it did any good to try and resist; he was gone moment he saw him again.

His camera remained in the car, since he needed to be as inconspicuous as possible. Maybe he should get one of those pen shaped cameras like spies used. Because that was what he was. A spy. And he was spying on Dean and his family. He pushed those negative thoughts away. Even though he hated it, he had a job to do.

Dean's distinctive voice guided him, as he followed at a respectable distance. Grabbing a shopping basket, he tried to ignore the increased pounding of his heart every time he was close.

Blend in, Castiel.

It worked for a while. Whenever he caught a glimpse of them, the domesticity of it all bothered him. Maybe because he wanted to be the one doing those things with Dean. Arguing over what to buy, healthy versus unhealthy. He could just imagine putting the Pop-tarts back when Dean wasn't looking…

It was enough.

_To cause him to want what he couldn't have._

_To make him hate Jo even more._

_To distract him_.

As he turned the corner into the next aisle, he ran into their cart.

"Cas?" To say Dean looked shocked was an understatement.

"I'm sorry," Castiel said, unsure of what to say, now that he was caught.

Dean licked his lips almost nervously, catching every bit of his attention.

"Hi. I'm Jo."

He reluctantly focused on her as he shook her offered hand. Strange, she seemed almost excited to meet him. His eyes narrowed as she shared a look with Dean. What had he told her?

There were several items in their cart including a toddler sitting in the front seat. A young girl, with dark curly hair, stood next to the cart regarded him coolly. In fact, she was openly staring. Up close he could see that her dress had frogs and lily pads on it. The green in the dress brought out the color of her eyes. A very familiar green color.

He tilted his head contemplating her. She followed suit with a head tilt of her own. After a few minutes of this she asked, "Are you a friend of my daddy's?"

He peered at Dean, who was watching them with amusement. Friend was too strong a word and yet not strong enough. They were more like enemies… with benefits. Dean's eyebrow rose at his silence, and he could almost read his thoughts. She's three. It's not that complicated a question.

"Yes," he said finally. "We are friends."

"What's your name?" she asked. all business.

"Castiel."

"Cath..the..al." Her nose scrunched up with the effort of trying to get it right.

"Cas, sweetie. You can call him Cas."

"Cath," she said unable to get the pronunciation quite right. "I"m Micah." She motioned for him to come closer, and he stooped down to her level. "Can you come to my birthday party?"

"It's your birthday?" He looked at Dean for confirmation.

"A week from Saturday," he said.

"I'll be four." She held up the correct amount of fingers to show him.

"I'm sure Cas is busy, honey."

She ignored her dad, continuing to give him the puppy dog eyes. Castiel glanced again at Dean. He was shaking his head no.

"I don't know…" He said truthfully. He just didn't have the heart to turn her down. "I'll try."

She squealed giving him a hug. Dean rolled his eyes as he shook his head. It was obviously the wrong thing to say. Still he couldn't regret it, not when she was smiling at him like that. It was a sweet, trusting smile, and he vowed, in that moment, to delete every compromising picture he had taken. Even if Dean and Jo were together, he couldn't let Bela get her hands on these children.

Castiel stood up, feeling slightly shell-shocked.

"Let's go guys," Jo said grabbing Micah's hand. "We'll leave your dad to pick up... I mean out... the fruit, and we'll go get some stuff for the party." She winked at Dean as she maneuvered the cart. Dean gave her a look he couldn't decipher as she ushered the kids away.

Once the cart was turned around Castiel could see the young boy's face. He looked so much like Dean. "Bye-bye," the child said, waving enthusiastically.

"Bye, Cath. Don't forget my party."

"Goodbye, Micah," he said, while also waving to the boy..

Dean closed his eyes for a moment as the cart turned the corner out of sight. "You shouldn't have promised her that."

"I wasn't aware that I had agreed to anything."

"Man, do you have a lot to learn."

"Apparently."

Suddenly without the buffer of the cart, the kids, and Jo, Castiel felt vulnerable. Afraid somehow that he would give into his impulses.

"What are you doing here? Stalking me now?" Dean asked.

He tried not to flush in embarrassment, but he wasn't sure how successful he was. Dean was just too close... to him and the truth.

Castiel dealt with liars all the time. It was in the job description. He knew exactly how to do it; just add the right amount of truth.

"I was just driving around and saw your van.…" He paused trying to figure out how best to put it. "I wanted to see you."

"You're killing me here." Dean said with a slight groan.

"I'm sorry." And he was sorry. For everything. He stepped closer without realizing it.

"What are we doing, Cas?" His voice was filled with frustration. The husky tone did things to Castiel. Things he couldn't focus on right now.

"I don't know."

"You can't just show up here. Out of the blue. I need time to prepare… Especially if you're going to look like that."

Castiel glanced down his clothes. They weren't anything special.

"You look freaking hot. All stalker casual and shit."

"Thank you," he said, unsure if that was the correct response.

"A little warning. That's all I'm asking."

"I didn't plan this," he said. And he hadn't. Not planned on talking to Dean or getting sucked in even deeper. Not planned at all.

"I know," Dean said. He turned away, inspecting the apples, but Castiel wasn't fooled. Things were getting intense. They both needed a moment.

"You have a beautiful family, Dean."

The answering smile he gave him was genuine and sweet. Castiel could see the similarities between father and daughter; he wasn't sure he could resist either one.

"Thanks," Dean said then turned back to the produce. "I've been thinking a lot about that night. At the bar." It was probably a good thing he wasn't looking at him. Especially since he couldn't help but notice Dean's finger absently stroking the edge of a cantaloupe.

"I don't think we should talk about that. I'm having a difficult enough time as it is watching you molest that fruit." Those strong fingers haunted his dreams. It really wasn't fair.

Dean smirked as he playfully picked up the cantaloupe. "What's the matter Cas? Never had a nice juicy melon before?"

He sensed there was something he was missing. "Is that a euphemism for something?"

Dean laughed heartily, clapping his free hand on Castiel's shoulder. "Don't ever change."

He loved seeing Dean so carefree and happy. He wished there was something he could do to keep that look on his face.

"I better go," Dean said still holding the melon.

"Okay." They gazed at each other for another heartbeat or two. "Okay," Castiel repeated, trying not to get lost in his intense gaze.

Dean closed his eyes, momentarily breaking the connection. "Okay," he said, looking up once again. "See ya, Cas."

After he left, Castiel dropped the empty basket onto the floor. He now had a new mission. He was going to delete those pictures and do whatever else it took to keep Dean's family together.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: I'm sorry this took longer than I expected. I wasn't completely happy with it, but I'm my own worse critic. So I gave up trying to fix it, and you guys can be the judge. Chapter 7 and 8 are almost done so I hope to get those out soon. I'm very excited about the response from everyone. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Trial by Error

Chapter 6

"You need to get a life."

They were gathered around the table about to eat the roast beef with potatoes and carrots that Dean had prepared. After Bela left he begged Jo to teach him how to cook. He wanted his kids to eat healthy not like he did growing up. And they always ate at the table, and not in front of the TV. Cooking wasn't that difficult, he found. It was as easy as throwing something in the crock pot before leaving for work in the morning.

Jo smiled at him as she cut Eli's meat until the pieces were small enough for him to eat by hand. "And give this up?" she asked.

"Seriously, Jo," he said. "You need a boyfriend or something."

"I thought you were my boyfriend, Dean." She pouted prettily as she fluttered her eyelashes at him.

"I'll tell you what, you grow a… watermelon… And we can talk."

"If only I could," she said with a sigh.

"I can grow one," Micah said. For once she was paying complete attention to the conversation. It was a little scary.

"What sweetie?"

"My teacher growed us some watermelons," she said. "I can show you." Micah was in preschool, and they were currently learning about 'yardening' as she called it.

Dean hid his laugh. Micah could get snippy if she thought he was making fun of her. "Daddy's laughing with you honey, not at you" was a common statement. Her reply was always the same. "I'm not laughing."

"Sure, Micah," Jo said. "You can show me later."

Dean tried to focus on eating as Jo winked at him.

"I can see why you like fruit so much. That Castiel is yummy."

"Shut it, Jo."

"Come on Dean. You know you want to talk about him."

"I like Cath," Micah said.

"Ya ya ya ya ya," yelled Eli, putting his two cents in.

"I can see I'm outnumbered here," Dean said. "Remember he's the enemy."

A look of concern crossed Micah's face. "Eminy?" she said. "Is Cath bad?"

How did he ever get into this mess? Oh, yeah. Jo the troublemaker.

"No honey. He's a good guy. Now eat your supper."

Jo's eyes sparkled in amusement. "All I know is that the hotness quotient between you guys almost gave me heatstroke."

"Not helping." He was trying really hard not to think about Cas at all. Seeing him earlier was a shock to his system, especially since he looked so damn good. He needed to focus on his family, and Jo was not helping at all.

Dean fed Eli a spoonful of potatoes when he noticed his son dumping pieces of meat off the side of his tray.

"Stop Eli," he said. Blue eyes looked up at him innocently as he dropped another bite of roast beef on the floor. "Listen here, kid. Stop or I'm going to throw you out the window."

"Daddy, please don't throw Eli out the window."

"Then he better eat."

He could tell Jo was trying not to laugh. This was a common occurrence. Everyone, including the kids, knew Dean wouldn't hurt a hair on their heads. Didn't mean he couldn't threaten.

"I guess you're done," he said finally, cleaning off Eli's highchair.

"So can we talk about this or not?" Jo asked.

"What?" Dean tried to feign innocence.

"Cath," Micah said loudly.

He shook his head. His kids were too smart for their own good.

"I'm going to throw you out the window," he said to her.

"No daddy." She giggled as he scooped her up and headed toward the kitchen window.

"I'll help you Micah," Jo said, grabbing Dean around the waist. Eli jabbered, pounding on his tray.

As Dean collapsed under the two girls wrestling him to the ground, he thought again about Cas. No matter how he felt about the other man, he had to stay away from him. He couldn't lose this. He couldn't lose his family.

They were everything to him.

~#~#~#~

The office was dark. Not surprising since it was after hours. Castiel needed privacy. Something he couldn't get at home, since he unfortunately still lived with his family. Moving out hadn't seemed important, until now.

His plan was simple: download the pictures and delete the incriminating ones. He probably should have just deleted them from the camera, but he couldn't do that. Selfishly, he wanted to save them first. He did that quickly hiding them in an unassuming file that no one would notice. After that was completed he took his time scrolling through them. The happiness on Dean's face as he gazed at his children – and Jo. That part hurt a bit but he ignored those shards of jealousy that stabbed through him. He was so intent, he didn't hear the door to his office open.

"Castiel? You're here late. I admire your dedication." Zachariah was across the room next to Castiel so quickly he didn't have time to close the file. "Did you get any good pictures?"

"No."

"Brother, you are too modest."

Castiel gave up trying to close the program. It was too late. Zachariah scrolled through the pictures stopping at the ones of Dean and the kids.

"Don't need these," he said with a smirk as he pushed the delete button. Castiel had to fight the impulse to punch him. He was glad he'd saved them already.

"But these... these are excellent, Castiel." He stopped on the pictures with Jo and Dean hugging. "He's definitely doing the nanny."

He pushed the anger back. It wouldn't do any good, and it would only make his brother more suspicious. "I'm not so sure," he said.

"I suppose you could be right." For just a moment Castiel hoped his brother would drop it. It only lasted a moment. "But I doubt it," Zachariah said. "Continue following them. We need more proof."

Castiel felt terrible. He'd tried so hard, but he still ended up letting Dean down. As he watched Zachariah leave, he realized he had no idea what to do next.


	7. Chapter 7

Dean loved his job. On his back, replacing the worn out u-joint on a Chevy Corolla while classic rock music played on the garage radio, his problems seemed far away. Working usually helped him forget life for a while. It had worked through many years of marriage to Bela as well as the dark days after his dad died. It even helped distract him when Sam went away to college.

Right now, though, it wasn't enough.

It wasn't just thoughts of Castiel. Although, those were driving him crazy. He felt like a teenager again. Longing for something he couldn't have. Sexually frustrated beyond belief. He didn't want to think about it being more than just a physical attraction, because he couldn't handle more. Hell, he could barely handle this.

No, his main worry was the thought of losing his kids. Even though he'd still have them every other weekend and some during the summer, it wouldn't be enough. Not near enough. And what happened if Bela decided to leave again? Would she bring them to him or just drop them off at her mom and dad's? Or, God forbid, take them with her.

Dean sighed, trying to focus. Mrs. Steward was depending on him to get her car fixed today. He had to push all the other stuff to the back of his mind.

A kick to his foot caused him to jump, almost hitting his head. Damn Pete. He knew not to bother him unless it was an emergency.

But it wasn't the other mechanic trying to get his attention; it was his lawyer. Dean scrambled to his feet, wiping his hand on a towel as he turned the radio off.

He could tell at once that Bobby was in a bad mood. Not that the man was ever cheerful. A large envelope was in his hand, and Dean knew it wasn't good.

"What's the word, Bobby?"

"I have several words for you Dean. Idjit, dumbass… how about we start with those?"

"What the hell?"

"Sorry," he said, not really sounding it. "Talking to Bela's lawyer makes me cranky."

"Don't take it out on me."

Bobby glared at him. "Who should I take it out on Dean? I told you to lie low. I said don't get in any trouble, and then you go and do this crap." He waved the envelope at him.

"Why? What is that?"

"Pictures. Seriously, you couldn't do that stuff in private?"

For a second, he couldn't breathe. They had pictures of him and Cas. It had to be. Why else was Bobby so freaked out? Were they from the other day? Or at the bar? He wondered if Cas knew.

"I'm sorry, Bobby," he said. "It just happened."

"What you do is your business, Dean. Just wait until you're divorced or for God's sake, get a room." He punctuated his rant by handing him the pictures.

As he pulled out the glossy photographs, he was surprised to see pictures of him and Jo. Some of them included the kids, but it was mostly them. And, he had to admit, if he didn't know better he would think they were together. Just the way they looked at each other and were so comfortable around each other. Is this really what everyone else thought? After seeing these pictures, he couldn't blame them.

"There's nothing going on between Jo and me."

"Doesn't really matter if they have these does it? They're going to paint a pretty damn convincing picture of poor Bela whose husband is sleeping with their nanny. The person taking care of their kids. It doesn't look good Dean."

He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. "I don't even know when they could have taken these."

"You're not helping yourself."

Dean looked hard at the pictures. They were all by the van, but he wasn't sure where they were at. Then he noticed the gas station across the street. Suddenly, he felt sick. It couldn't be…

"That son of a bitch!" He was so angry he barely think straight. "We were at the grocery store getting stuff for Micah's party. I was hugging Jo like that because she finally took a chance and applied to that nursing school."

"You didn't notice anything suspicious?"

He didn't want to tell him. It seemed so obvious now, he should've seen it. God, he felt so stupid.

"Dean?"

"While we were in the store, we ran into one of Bela's attorneys."

"And what? You let him take your picture?"

"Of course not. We talked to him for a few minutes. Not like he had a camera on him or anything."

"You just had a nice friendly conversation with the enemy. Is that it?"

"Seemed rude not to," Dean said, knowing he sounded like an idiot. Because he was one. He believed everything Castiel told him.

"You didn't wonder why he was there. Slumming it in your neighborhood."

"Well, he said…" But he couldn't go any further.

_I wanted to see you._

Dean knew he got played, but he certainly wasn't going to admit it to Bobby.

"What?"

"Doesn't matter. I should have known better."

"Damn right you should have. Which one was it?"

"The young guy. Castiel."

Bobby shook his head, then regarded him suspiciously. "What were you worried about before?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"You said you were sorry. That it just happened. And you were surprised it was you and Jo in those pictures. What's going on, Dean?"

"Nothing. Okay? I just didn't think it would be good being seen with the enemy."

He didn't seem satisfied but he let it drop. "I need the truth. Are you sleeping with Jo? I can't do damage control unless I know what's going on."

"I swear to you, Bobby. Jo and I are just friends. Nothing's going on."

"Fine. I'll see what I can come up with. Meanwhile, you guys cool it for a bit okay? Act like friends not teenagers. And quit talking to the enemy."

Dean nodded, but something was still bothering him. He was hesitant to mention it, but he couldn't seem to stop himself. "I honestly don't think Castiel's a bad guy. It's his job. He has to do what they tell him or he's out. I mean, it's still not good to spy on people …"

Bobby's confused look halted anything further he was going to say. "I don't know what he's told you but it ain't likely they'll fire him. It's called Novak and Sons for a reason."

"What do you mean?"

"It's a family business, Dean. And it's well known that Castiel Novak is daddy's favorite. Probably nothing that kid could do would get him fired." Bobby pointed his finger at him, indicating he meant business. "Now get you head out of your ass, boy, and focus on what's important."

Dean held it together until after he left. A wrench, unlucky enough to be within reaching distance, flew across the garage. It clanged loudly to the floor, easing none of the frustration he felt. All this time, Castiel had been lying to him. He wasn't worried about his job. Everything he said was just a way to manipulate Dean. And he was like putty in his hands. That day in the grocery store, he had to have been following them. Taking pictures.

The full impact of what that meant felt like a punch to his gut. Castiel was using those pictures as a way to take his kids away. And Dean bought the whole damn thing. He'd wanted to believe him. To trust him.

Dean grabbed a beer from the fridge in the corner of the garage. Bobby was right. He had to keep it together for his kids. Right now, he had Mrs. Steward's car to fix. Then he was going to take charge. He wasn't sure exactly what he was going to do, but Castiel Novak was going to regret ever messing with his family.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: As some of you might know, my New Years Resolution last year was to answer every review I get. Not doing so well with that, but I am updating regularly, so that's something, right? Anyway I do appreciate every review I get! Thank all of you.

Trial by Error

Chapter 8

Someone was following him.

There was no doubt in his mind. The signs were easy to see if you knew what to look for, and he did. He'd been doing it for years.

It wasn't difficult to figure out who it was either.

Zachariah. Or rather one of his lackeys. His brother wouldn't stoop so low as do the menial task himself. But he must have used someone new, because this guy wasn't very good at it.

That's the only thing that reassured him. If this person had been following him for days or weeks, he'd have noticed it sooner. The last thing he needed was for Zachariah to have pictures of him and Dean together.

Thinking of Dean caused his heart to ache. According to Zachariah the pictures had been delivered. Castiel still didn't know the reasoning behind revealing them. What did he think? That Dean would just give up after seeing them? But now Dean knew. Knew what Castiel had done. He probably would never speak to him again.

Zachariah was suspicious. He could see it in his eyes every time he looked at him. It was no wonder he hired someone to follow him.

Castiel abandoned his plan of going home. If this guy wanted to follow him, then he would make sure his brother got him money's worth.

First he took a leisurely drive around the city. Nothing like a little sight-seeing to make things interesting. Then he drove down town. Parking his car, he strolled along the street, going in and out of shops. Following someone wasn't an easy task. You had to stay far enough behind not to be seen, but close enough to see where your target was going. This guy was barely keeping up.

Finally Castiel walked into his favorite bookstore. He often spent hours browsing the shelves and talking to the staff. This time he sat in one of their overstuffed chairs with a much loved book and a cappuccino, determined to wait the other man out.

It was over an hour later, when he abruptly left the store. His book was discarded on the table along with his unfinished drink. He hated leaving things for the staff to clean up, but it was necessary. He knew the other man would have become somewhat lax, and he needed to get a little ahead. Castiel turned into the alley next to the store and quickly rushed to the end. He hid just out of sight, next to the back steps, and waited for his prey.

It didn't take long before the hesitant footsteps approached his hiding spot, getting louder with each step. The adrenaline was rushing through his body as he readied for the attack. Suddenly the person stopped, probably listening for any clues as to where he went. Castiel was as quiet as possible, not wanting to give himself away.

The crunching on gravel was his cue. He reached out, grabbing the guy's jacket and spinning him around until he was pinned against the wall. Castiel's arm was lodged against the other man's throat in an instant.

"Why are you following…?" His voice trailed off as he recognized his stalker. The light from the streetlamp overcame the darkening sky, revealing the familiar face. "Dean?" He lowered his arm, allowing the other man to speak.

"Sucks, doesn't it, Cas? Having someone spy on you. Maybe I should take some pictures…" His eyes glittered angrily, and Castiel knew this was going to be a difficult conversation.

"Dean," he said, "Let me explain."

"You son of a bitch, I trusted you."

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what?" he said, the betrayal in his voice evident. "Lying to me? Using me? Trying to take my kids away? You can shove your apology up your ass."

"I was trying to help."

"Well don't. I don't need you. You can just run on back to daddy..."

Suddenly, Castiel couldn't take any more. All the frustration and guilt charged through him, spurring him on. Grabbing Dean by the shirt, he pushed him up against the wall. "It's my family, Dean," he said, with barely suppressed anger. "What would you have me do? My father has done everything for me, and how do I repay him? By betraying the firm. It's not about losing my job, It's about bringing shame upon my family, and possibly destroying everything my father has ever worked for…"

They were inches apart, both breathing heavily. His voice lost some of its anger, but none of its passion.

"All for you, Dean," he said. "Everything has been for you." He felt stripped bare, vulnerable, and in that moment, he didn't care. Not about anything but the man in front of him. How did he have the power to make everything else he cared about disappear?

"Cas…"

The change in the atmosphere from anger to want was minute, like the slight twist of a kaleidoscope, but the effect was immediate. It tainted everything and seemed to build until it surrounded them both like a shroud.

"I'm going to kiss you now. Will that be a problem?" Castiel said, his thumb caressing Dean's cheekbone, causing his eyes to flutter shut.

"I'm not sure I'll be able to stop."

"That's not a problem," he said before capturing his lips in a heated kiss.

* * *

The brick wall scraped against his back as Castiel pushed against him. The kiss was at times firm and insistent, and at other teasing and light. Dean had envisioned this moment ever since their first meeting, and yet all he could think about was wanting more. Castiel must have sensed his urgency because his hand moved to the back of Dean's neck, and he deepened the kiss. Their tongues slid together, eliciting a moan from him, before Castiel was abruptly pulling away.

"Don't stop…"

"The shop will be closing soon," he said, the huskiness in his voice wreaking havoc on Dean's senses. "And there are things we need to talk about."

"Talking's overrated." Dean didn't want to stop. When he was with Castiel, he felt alive, wonderful, like nothing bad could happen. He knew it was an illusion, endorphins or whatever, going crazy, but in the real world they were enemies. And he just wanted to feel Castiel's lips… hold on to the dream a little longer.

"I've decided to quit."

The admission startled him out of his dream world. "You can't Cas…"

"The case, not my job."

"Oh." Dean felt relieved. He didn't want to get in between Castiel and his family. "Won't they be suspicious?"

"I'll tell them I can't work with Bela. She should never have those kids, and I won't be a part of giving them to her. They won't like it but they will believe it, because it's the truth. At least part of it."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded. "I can't go on like this. I can't continue hurting the people I care about. I don't want to have to choose between my family and you."

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be sorry, Dean," he said. "Don't ever be sorry. I don't regret a moment of meeting you, and I hope you don't either."

The shadows from the retreating sun, played softly against his handsome face. "Although I have a few regrets…" Dean said, brushing his thumb across Castiel's jawline, enjoying the feel of the slight stubble against his skin. "_This_ isn't one of them." Leaning in he kissed him again, trying to keep it light but wanting so much more.

This kiss was sweet and fleeting, both realizing it couldn't last.

"I want us to be together. I mean really together, if that's what you want…"

Dean nodded in agreement. It was scary how much he wanted it. Not just the physical side, but just being with Castiel.

"But we have to wait until after everything's settled. I won't jeopardize your chances of getting custody of your kids. Then if you still want me, Dean, I'm yours."

The sound of that did things to his heart. Things he wasn't ready to examine just yet. "I'm gonna hold you to that, Cas," he said with a cheeky grin.

Castiel returned his smile, before pulling him into a final kiss. It felt final at least, and Dean tried to make the most of it, wrapping his arms around the other man, and holding on tight.

At last they parted with a heavy sigh.

"Goodbye, Dean."

"Bye, Cas…"

"Don't follow me. Which reminds me, I'll have to show you some time how to tail someone without getting caught."

Dean laughed, shaking his head. "See, that's your first mistake… assuming I didn't want to get caught." He winked at him, before heading off in the opposite direction.


	9. Chapter 9

Trial by Error

Chapter 9

Castiel spent all morning rehearsing his speech… in the shower, in the car, even in the elevator. He had to spin it just right so that Zachariah wouldn't question his motives.

He was so preoccupied that he didn't notice his brother until he reached his office. Michael steered him away from the door with practiced ease.

"Don't even bother sitting down, Castiel," he said. "The ice queen is here so of course Zachey has his panties in a twist."

"Can't I get a cup of coffee first?" he asked. He knew his brother was talking about Bela, that was his nickname for her, and he needed more caffeine before dealing with her. Maybe this could work out though. If she pisses him off in the meeting, which is fairly likely, then he can use that as a reason to quit. Still it was too early to deal with her and Zachariah at the same time.

"Marjorie?" Michael said as they passed his secretary's desk. "Bring us some coffee."

"Yes sir."

"And make sure it's hot. Likely to get frigid in there," he said with a wink.

Castiel followed Michael into the conference room, frustrated at the change of plans. He just had to keep calm and remember everything he'd rehearsed.

Bela and Zachariah were already seated at the table. She wore the cool smile of someone who always got what she wanted.

_Not this time._

"Castiel," Zachariah said. "So glad you could join us." He motioned for him to sit down next to Bela.

Years of working with clients he didn't really like helped him remain professional. Still, when she turned and smiled at him, he could tell she wasn't fooled. The ice in her smile could almost freeze the coffee Marjorie was currently delivering. He smiled up at his secretary, a direct contrast to the fake one he gave the soon to be ex Mrs. Winchester.

"As I was explaining to Bela, things are progressing nicely. The pictures you obtained were very helpful."

"Yes," she said. "Thank you so much…" She gave him a questioning look.

"Castiel."

"Yes, Castiel. I appreciate your assistance in this unfortunate mess.

He ground his teeth together, so as not to say something he shouldn't, all the while praying they would get to the point. He just wanted it to be over.

"I want to see my children."

Her announcement was abrupt but that wasn't what caused him to almost choke on his coffee. It was the thought of Dean allowing that to happen. Not likely.

"You need to convince him," she continued, and for a moment he thought she was talking directly to him. "Do you understand Zachariah?" She turned her focus on the man obviously man in charge. "I don't care what it takes."

"Any visitation will have to be supervised."

She turned her evil glare back on him, and he resisted the urge to squirm in his seat.

"He's right, Mrs. Winchester," Michael said, taking the heat away from him. "You left for several weeks. Because of that the judge would never agree to unsupervised. He'd be worried you might take off with the children."

"I would never do that," she said clearly offended.

"Of course you wouldn't." Zachariah was immediately on damage control. "Still agreeing to supervised visitation would be the quickest way to get to see them. Otherwise we would have to go before the judge. We don't want to do that until we are ready to proceed on the custody hearing. We still have some things to work out." He gave Castiel a pointed look.

He wanted to tell his brother to go to hell. In fact, he had the sudden urge to stand up and tell them all to go screw themselves. And although he couldn't do that, he was as determined as ever to excuse himself from the case. He was not going to have any part in Bela Talbot-Winchester getting her hands on those sweet children.

"Fine," she said dryly. "Make it happen."

"We'll get right on that," Zachariah said. "But there are a few other things we need to talk about." He seemed extremely uncomfortable, and Castiel was immediately intrigued.

"I have another appointment, so make it quick."

"We need to know where you were those weeks when you were gone."

She was immediately on edge. "I don't see how that is relevant."

Castiel almost rolled his eyes, because taking off and leaving your children without warning was extremely relevant to whether you should get them back. The casual air she tried to adopt was belied by the tension radiating off of her in waves.

"It may not be," Zachariah said, trying to soothe her ruffled feathers. "But the judge will want to know, so we do need to discuss it."

Unconsciously, Castiel leaned in closer to hear her answer.

"I was at my parents' home."

She was lying. He was sure of it.

"Well then, that's that." Zachariah smiled widely, showing all his teeth, as he stood up. "I'm sure your parents will be able to confirm that."

"Of course," Bela said sweetly, a little too sweetly. "Just fix it so I can see my kids." She was out of the chair and halfway to the door in no time. "I expect to hear something soon, Zachariah."

"No wonder he was doing the nanny," Michael said after she was gone. "Poor bastard."

Zachariah glared at him. "It's not appropriate to talk about our client like that."

"Maybe not," he said. "But if she doesn't warm up a little, brother, the judge will never side with her."

Castiel was barely listening to them. All thoughts of talking to Zachariah about why he should not be on this case were gone. At that point he had one thing on his mind.

Following their client.

Castiel wasn't even sure what he was expecting. He just knew she'd been in one hell of a hurry to leave that room. He wanted to know why.

It wasn't difficult to follow her through the building. He knew where she parked. This office wasn't that big. In their Kansas City office it would have been more difficult. Although he still could have managed it.

Bela had walked outside and immediately lit a cigarette. He stopped abruptly, waiting until she turned away to slip out behind her, and headed in the direction of his car. At the last moment he moved behind a pillar, taking his phone out so he didn't look suspicious. Sneaking a glance at Bela he could see she was also on her phone. He'd missed the beginning of the conversation, but he could hear the panic in her voice.

"Please, Daddy," she said. "This is important." She listened for his response. "If you don't want Dean to get the children then you need to help me."

That must have convinced him because suddenly she was sugar sweet again. Castiel quickly walked away.

He had to talk to Dean.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: I just wanted to let you know that the slow updates has been due to GISHWHES the week before and this week my daughter left for college. It's been very busy. My goal is to update weekly, barring any RL disasters.

Chapter 10

Dean dropped the dish cloth on the counter with a sigh as the yelling from the other room got louder. Lately it was impossible to get anything done.

He was just in time to witness brother and sister pushing each other before Eli toppled to the ground. Jo threw him an apologetic smile as she quickly scooped up the crying boy.

"What's going on, Micah?"

"Eli was mean to me," she sobbed. "And he hurt Froggy."

He kneeled down, looking her in the eyes. "He's just a baby, and he didn't get a full nap, so he's little cranky. And he's not the only one."

It never failed to amaze him how easily the kids picked up on everyone else's mood. His anxiety level was sky high, since he hadn't heard from Cas in the last few days. It was driving him crazy.

When he was around the other man, he felt calm. He trusted him, believed him. As the distance between them increased so did his fear that Castiel was using him. He felt like a fool for believing anything Cas said, and that made him cranky as hell.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," she said, her big eyes brimming with tears.

"You need to tell your brother you're sorry."

"Sorry, Eli." She sounded almost sincere. Not that the toddler knew the difference anyway, but that wasn't the point.

"And if he's mean to you, tell someone. Pushing him down is not okay."

She nodded. He gave her a hug, handing her the stuffed frog she carried with her everywhere.

He then took the still sobbing child from Jo, rocking him in his arms.

"If you aren't careful, he'll fall asleep early. Then he'll be up in the middle of the night."

He didn't answer as he sat down on the couch, holding Eli close.

"Want to talk about it?"

He shook his head. He wasn't sure why he hadn't confided in Jo about the latest incident. Maybe he was afraid she would tell him what an idiot he was … not like he didn't already know.

"You've been on edge for days, Dean."

"Just leave it, Jo. Okay?" He smiled at her, trying to take the sting out of his words.

"I guess, I'll be going then, if you got this."

"We're fine. I've got Micah to help me."

The little girl perked up at his words. She loved being daddy's big girl and helping out.

Jo smiled, her eyes crinkling up at the sides. "Now remember tomorrow night I won't be available because I have a date."

"I hope you aren't doing this just to prove to people that we aren't together."

"Get over yourself, Winchester," she said.

"Just interesting timing."

"Not really," she said grabbing her purse. "He's been asking me out for months. I just now accepted."

"Jo Harvelle." He stood up, juggling a nearly asleep Eli in the process. "Tell me it wasn't because of us."

"You needed me, Dean."

"Son of a … you know what. I don't like the idea of holding you back."

She gave him a cheeky grin. "Maybe I was playing hard to get. I certainly have his attention now."

Dean sighed, shaking his head. "Do I need to give him the big brother speech?"

"No," she said with a laugh. "Absolutely not." And with one last wave she was gone.

"Can we play grocery store, Daddy?"

The rest of the dishes could wait until after the kids went to bed. He was going to enjoy his time with them while he could. "Sure, honey."

She pulled out her little basket and arranged the grocery items all around the room. They collected them until time for checkout. She liked to be in charge of the play cash register and toy money. No tea parties for his little girl.

They were on their second round, with Eli still hanging around his neck, when his phone rang. He hated that his first thought was of Castiel.

"Hello?" His voice cracked. Why was he so nervous?

"Dean? What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, Bobby," he said, trying to push away the disappointment he felt. "Kids are cranky."

"How about you? How are you holding up?"

Dean was immediately wary. Bobby never asked about his feelings. In fact he avoided the subject like the plague. Something was up.

"Fine. What's going on?"

"Got a call from Bela's head dickwad attorney. She wants visitation with the kids."

"Hell no," he said, not even bothering to censure his words.

"Not sure what's going on, but they talked about the visits being supervised."

"She agreed to that?"

"I'm sure it was her attorney's idea."

"But why?" It just didn't make sense.

"The only thing I can think of is that they're afraid she'll run off with the kids."

"Won't they get paid either way? I mean why would they even care?" And did Castiel have anything to do with it?

"Dean, these aren't some small town lawyers. They're a big deal. They have a reputation of being a top notch law firm, with some very rich clients. They wouldn't want anything marring that image."

He put his now squirming son on the floor to play. Bobby's words made him feel sick to his stomach. What had he been thinking? Even if he wanted, could he really let Castiel put a black spot on his family's reputation? All along he'd been thinking of himself. Of his kids. He was finally realizing what Cas was doing… what he was giving up to help him.

"I don't think we have a choice here."

"I want to be there."

"Actually he said Bela insisted on you being there. She also wants an impartial person … your neighbor Mrs. Miller."

"That's fine." She was actually a really good choice. It seemed all too civil to be Bela's idea, though.

They talked a few more minutes about the details. "Any other news from the suits?"

"Like what?"

Like one of them quitting…

"I don't know… anything."

"Nope. I got nothing else, Dean."

As they ended the call, he was more depressed than ever. It felt more and more like Cas had picked his family over him. Not that he really blamed him.

When it was late enough he put the kids to bed. They were tired and barely fussed at all. He left the dishes, no energy.

The phone rang again. He tried and failed to not get his hopes up. Unfortunately it was only Sam.

"How are you, Dean?"

"Fine. Jo call you?"

"She's just worried about you."

"I'm fine."

"Just hang in there okay? I'm almost done and then I'll be there to help you."

Dean shut his eyes, willing back his emotions. He was not going to cry like a little girl, especially not in front of his brother.

"I'm fine, Sammy," he said when he could speak without embarrassing himself. "You only have a few weeks left. Finish school. I got everything under control here."

"Okay. See you soon."

Dean ended the call, knowing he wasn't fooling anybody, least of all his baby brother.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Staring at the older building that was nudged in between the newer shops, Castiel suddenly felt nervous. He'd dealt with angry clients, angrier defendants, and pissed off judges. Yet facing Dean Winchester after not seeing him for days was making his palms sweat.

Dean was probably fuming. He had to know by now that he hadn't quit the case and wondering why Castiel hadn't contacted him. The last few days had been crazy busy. And considering Bela Talbot-Winchester was not their only client, and that Zachariah was watching him like a hawk, he couldn't very well just go see Dean.

And he couldn't quit the case. Not when he could help Dean more by staying on. It was a testament as to how much cared that he was willing to abandon his ethics and risk hurting his family, all to help Dean keep his family together. Of course, the fact that he hated Bela was just an added bonus.

He wasn't sure what he expected when he opened the door. Perhaps, a garage full of employees staring at him. His excuse was ready… car trouble, of course, but he worried for nothing. There was one lone figure working under the hood of a car. Even though he couldn't see him properly, he still knew it was Dean.

It was Friday afternoon. Knowing Dean, he probably gave all his employee's the afternoon off. Or maybe his business was struggling and he was the only one…

Pushing away his speculative thoughts, he watched Dean working on the car. The coveralls he wore were half off, probably because it was burning up in the shop. His torso was covered in an A-shirt giving Castiel a generous view of his arms. He didn't even realize he had a mechanic kink until now.

"Dean?"

Classic rock was playing on the radio, AC/DC, he thought fleetingly, and he realized Dean couldn't hear him.

As he approached the car, Dean stood up, wiping the sweat off his brow. He jumped slightly and swore loud enough to be heard over the music.

"What the hell, Cas?" he said. "You can't just sneak up on a guy like that." He turned the music off and stood unforgivingly with his hands on his hips.

Which was distracting. The arms of the coveralls were tied together, but the garment was positioned so low, it was barely hanging on. Castiel had the overwhelming urge to pull them down all the way, revealing the rest of Dean's amazing body. It wasn't fair that someone could look that good, especially covered in sweat.

"What are you doing here?" he said. "I mean, besides checking me out."

Castiel couldn't help the blush on his face. It was accentuated by the heat from being so close to Dean. "I'm under orders."

"Zach must be one kinky bastard if he's ordering you to do that. You want pictures, too?"

He really had to keep it together. And not think about Dean and pictures and how the smell of motor oil will, from now one, bring up this image of Dean looking so damn hot.

"Seriously, Cas," he said, his patience gone. "What the hell are you doing here? At my work?"

He cleared his throat. "I told you. I'm under orders. I was told to follow you everywhere and try to get incriminating pictures."

"Bastards."

"I'm not complaining. It gives me a chance to see you."

"Which reminds me. What happened?" Dean's gaze was intense. "Last time we talked you were going to quit. Yet here you are."

He knew Dean was angry, and he couldn't blame him. Yet he could tell the smile on his face was pissing him off even more. Castiel couldn't help it. He was happy to finally have good news.

"You think this is funny?"

"No. I don't," he said shaking his head. "But I have something important to tell you. I think you'll be pleased."

The other man's countenance changed immediately. "What?"

"Bela's hiding something."

"You think?"

"It's something she's afraid of you finding out."

"What is it?" he repeated.

"I don't really know."

"Dammit Cas. How is this helpful?"

He stepped forward, resisting the urge to touch his arm. "It has something to do with what she did when she left for several weeks. She wants us to believe she was at her parents, but I'm positive she wasn't."

"So can you find out where she was?" he asked, his face hopeful.

"No, Dean. It's too risky. You'll have to do it."

"I'm a mechanic," he said and Castiel couldn't keep his eyes from roaming once again over Dean's body. "I can't do this."

"Of course you can. How did she pay for everything she did? Did she use her cell phone? Did she leave any kind of trail?"

Dean glanced down as if he couldn't believe he didn't think of it. "I could check our credit cards and the phone bill… her computer for emails…"

He smiled encouragingly. "You can do this, Dean. I'll help if I can, I just need to be careful."

"Sammy will help me. He's good at computers so even if she tried to erase it, he'll probably find it." He hesitated for a moment. "I'm sorry I doubted you, Cas. I know this is difficult for you."

This time he didn't censor himself as he placed his hand on Dean's bicep. The man had so many muscles and Castiel wanted to touch every one of them. It was his new ambition in life. "I think there's a way for you to make it up to me."

"Anything." Dean's voice had decreased an octave or two, and he couldn't believe how quickly his body responded to the sound of it.

It was a bad idea. Anyone could just walk in. But he couldn't resist. The man haunted his every waking moment and the majority of his dreams, and he was in front of him, wanting him. It was just too much.

Castiel grabbed his coveralls at the hips, pulling him closer with a low growl. His hands moved to explore his chest, marveling at the hard muscle underneath. Dean grabbed a handful of hair angling his mouth perfectly for a plunging kiss. There was no room in his mind for anything but this. The feel of Dean against him. The taste of him, the strong lines of his back. Castiel let his hands wander down, past the coveralls, gripping his ass as Dean thrust against him.

"I need you, Cas," he whispered feverishly against his skin. "Please…"

He knew then that he couldn't stop. Nothing seemed to matter, even though he knew it should. All he could think about was dragging Dean someplace more private and getting him completely naked. Skin against skin, Dean's hands touching him…

"Where?"

"My office." They made it quickly to the small room. There was a desk and more importantly a door with a lock. At that point, he couldn't think of any reason not to do this. They'd already done enough to ruin his career and his relationship with his father.

They just had to be careful and not get caught.

Dean kissed him again, pushing him up against the desk, as Castiel fumbled with the coveralls. His hands were slapped away, as Dean untied the arms easily, pushing them down and out of the way. Castiel was frustrated to find he was wearing jeans underneath.

"Too many clothes," he mumbled, torn between undoing the clasp of his jeans and pushing against Dean's hand which had made its way to his aching cock.

"Dean? Where are you?"

They jumped apart, startled by the voice. Dean twisted around and ended up on the floor, tangled in his coveralls. He could hear the person getting closer to the door, and Castiel wondered if he should try and hide.

"Help me," Dean whispered anxiously from the floor.

He grabbed the legs, quickly pulling them off. Dean scurried to his feet and reached the door just as the knob started to turn. He whisked the door open, startling the man on the other side.

"Hey, Sammy," Dean said, somewhat out of breath. "Welcome home."


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Sorry this took longer than expected. I'm also working on the next chapter of The French Kiss Mistake. Hopefully it will be up tomorrow. Remember reviews are love.

Chapter 12

Dean's attempt to distract his brother failed dismally, after all it was impossible not to notice a six foot man who was straightening his clothes as he silently slipped out.

"Who was that?" Sam asked once the door to the shop banged shut.

"No one." Grabbing the towel, he started wiping down the nearby tools. They weren't that dirty, and he wasn't even done with them. But he needed something to do with his hands. "So what are you doing here?"

"Did you really think I'd miss my niece's birthday party?"

He frowned at him. "Last week you said you had to study for finals. What happened to change your mind?"

Sam started to explain when Dean held up his hand.

"Don't even bother. It was Jo wasn't it."

"Look, I got done with classes early, and I brought my books so I can study later. I'm here to see my little Micah Bear turn four. You got a problem with that?"

"Nope."

"And," he continued staring intently at Dean, "I can't stand being so far away when my brother obviously needs me."

He couldn't keep the smile off his face. Sam always came through for him. Of course, he practically raised the kid by himself. "Thanks, man," he said, giving him a brotherly slap on the back.

"So how's the case going?"

"I'm sure Jo's told you everything."

"Only what she knows. But there's more isn't there, Dean?"

He sighed, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. "Nothing new, really. Bela's a bitch. Her attorneys are dicks. End of story."

"Don't underestimate them. The Novak brothers are legendary. Their names are lauded by every professor I have. Especially Castiel Novak."

It was strange hearing his brother talk about Cas, as if he was some God. He tried to appear uninterested, but it was difficult to pull off. "Really?"

"Dean, you don't understand. That man's amazing."

He tried not to smirk. He knew just how 'amazing' Cas could be, but he was also sure they weren't talking about the same thing.

"The way he plays a jury. It's inspiring. He's charming and extremely intelligent. In Wilson v Conner, he…"

"Geesh, Sammy why don't you just sleep with him already." He felt possessive for some reason. This was his Castiel.

There it was. The bitch-face he missed so much. "I'm just saying you need to be careful. Don't take them too lightly."

"Don't worry. I'm fully aware of what Castiel Novak can do." And that sounded way less suggestive in his head. Thankfully his brother didn't notice. "Besides I have a whiskey powered attorney and a mouthpiece in training on my side. What could go wrong?" And a little Cas on the side, he added silently.

Dean pushed away the niggling doubt. The one that said Castiel was throwing away a promising career, and Dean was encouraging it. But it was also something the man hated doing, his mind counter argued, and Cas was a big boy. Able to make up his own mind.

"Are you sure there's nothing else?"

"I've got this," he said, determined to focus on the issue at hand and not a certain legendary attorney. "There is something you can help me with though."

Sam seemed excited but wary. "Sure. What do you need?"

"You know when Bela was gone for several weeks? I'm pretty sure she wasn't at her parents' house."

"Really? Why?"

Because Castiel said so was the correct answer, but not the one he could give. What else would Sam believe?

"Just a hunch."

"Okay. What do you need?"

"Proof. I'm going to look through our bank statements and credit card statements. Maybe you could look though her emails and stuff." He tried to give him the puppy dog look, but Sam just scowled at him.

"Seriously, Dean. It's been over a month since she first left. You haven't even looked at your bank statements?"

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to."

This was not helping. "She took care of the money okay?"

"How do you even run your own business? You need an accountant."

Dean started to say something and quickly shut his mouth. Because he'd had an accountant. A wannabe one. In his mouth as he sucked him dry. He was sure that wasn't what Sammy meant.

"Dean, you're zoning out again."

He cleared his throat and his mind for good measure. "Jo keeps my books. Are you going to help me or not?"

"Fine. I'll start tonight. I have to say, I'm kind of impressed that you thought of this plan."

That stung just a bit. "Hey, I'm more than just a gorgeous face and hot body, you know."

"Whatever," Sam said with a laugh. "Are you almost done here?"

"I have a few things left to do. I'll meet you at home.

Sam nodded, heading for the door. He stopped as he reached for the handle.

"Hey, Dean," he called after him. "Any chance you're going to explain the guy in your office?"

"Nope," he said with a smirk. "Nothing to tell."

"Yeah, okay."

It didn't take him long to finish up the car he was working on and to straighten up the shop. Mostly he'd just needed Sam to leave, so he could discuss a few things with Castiel.

He knew exactly where to find him.

* * *

Castiel watched the brother leave, wondering if he should go in and talk to Dean. Probably not a good idea. They'd already gotten caught once. He wondered what Dean had told him. Did he know Castiel was one of Bela's attorneys? He was on edge, and he had to stop himself, more than once, from going back inside.

The passenger door opened suddenly, catching him by surprise. Some spy he was. Dean slipped in, his handsome face lit up momentarily by the overhead light. Once it went out again the car was bathed in darkness. Castiel had purposely parked in a dark area, so he knew no one could see them.

"Hey," Dean said, slightly out of breath.

"This is not a good idea."

"And coming into my shop was a brilliant plan?"

Castiel sighed. This was not starting off well.

"Let's not argue okay?" Dean said. "Sam has agreed to look though the computer to see if he can find anything."

"Good." He could just make out Dean's face, and even thrown in darkness, or maybe because it was dark and intimate, he found his ability to resist him was low. "Did he say anything about me?"

"Actually, he did." Dean had grasped his hand and was absently rubbing his thumb across the back. Castiel was having difficulty concentrating. "He said you're a legend. Brilliant and charming. And I think he wants to have sex with you."

He squinted at him. Trying to figure out if he was joking or not. "I don't know your brother…"

"But he knows you. Sammy's in law school. And they evidently have a Castiel Novak fan club, and he's the president."

"You sound jealous. Do you want to be the president of my fan club?"

"Hell, yes," he said, kissing him as if he just couldn't stop himself any more. "Can we have a secret handshake?"

They kissed for a while, until he finally pulled away.

"I still don't understand. Did he know who I was?"

"No. Evidently they talk about you in his classes, but they don't have pictures or videos. Their loss." His hand found its way into Castiel's hair, absently pulling on the strands. "But it won't take long. Eventually he's going to see you. Either in your office or court. I'm going to have to tell him something."

"Especially after tomorrow night."

"Wait. What?"

"Micah's birthday party. I sort of promised, remember?"

Dean pulled him closer. "You can't come to the party, Cas."

"Of course I can."

"Bobby will be there. Jo will be there. And Sam… Are you insane?"

Castiel kissed him softly. It worked like magic. Dean was immediately calmer. "Jo has already met me. I'll wait until Bobby leaves. Sam… we'll just play it by ear. But you might have to tell him."

"I don't know if I can."

Even in the dark, he could feel Dean's panic. "Which part are you having trouble with? The part about me being Bela's attorney? Or the part about me being a man you enjoy kissing?"

"If I'm being honest, a little of both."

"I won't come if you don't want me to. I made her a present, though. Maybe you could give it to her."

Dean swore, and it was a testament to how much Castiel liked him, because he found it charming.

"Fine," he said finally. "I'll figure out some way for you to be there. Even if it's only for a little while. And I'll somehow keep Sammy in the dark. Mostly because if he realizes it's you, I'm afraid he'll try to jump your bones."

Castiel smiled. Dean was just too damn cute for his own good. "Speaking of jumping and bones," he said, "why don't you come here?" He'd had his seat placed way back so he could work on his laptop. Not something he usually did, but he knew where to find Dean if he left so there was no worry about a quick getaway.

"Not a good idea, Cas."

"Story of my life." He pulled him closer, needing just a few moments more of this. He shifted in his seat so Dean could straddle him, thankful no one could see inside the car.

"I'm your biggest fan," Dean whispered.

"Prove it."

Dean's hands moved to his hair, pulling him forward. Castiel gripped the strong thighs wrapped around him. He resisted the urge to touch where he wanted to touch. They could only do so much in a car out in the open like this. In the back of his mind, the thoughts of his family and what was at stake for Dean and himself were never too far away.

Still this wasn't an opportunity he was going to pass up, either. He reached around to grab Dean's ass, pulling him closer.

"Cas, God I want you so much.

"I know," he said kissing his neck. "I know."

"Smug bastard."

He chuckled as he bit lightly on a spot under Dean's ear, effectively rendering him speechless. Which gave him a chance to do something else with his mouth. He kissed him over and over, each one a little more insistent. Castiel gripped the back of his neck pulling him in deeper.

A loud ringing shattered the moment, sounding foreign among the groans and heavy breathing of their make out session.

Castiel fumbled to answer it, the synapsis in his brain barely making the proper connections. The picture of Zachariah on his phone was like a cold shower on his libido.

"Damn. It's my brother."

Dean took a deep breath to quieten his breathing, as Castiel answered.

"What?" he said gruffly.

"Castiel. Cheerful as always."

"What do you want, Zachariah? I'm busy."

"I hope that means you're following, Dean Winchester."

"Don't worry," he answered. "I'm on his tail." As he uttered these words, his hands slipped down to Dean's ass, emphasizing his point. Although the other man didn't make a sound he could clearly see the effect he was having on him. It certainly made it difficult to follow what his brother was saying.

"Good. Although we might have something better than your pictures."

"What are you talking about?" They were both alert now; Dean could easily hear the other side of the conversation.

"We think Mr. Winchester was at a bar a few weeks ago. Probably to hook up with someone. I'm practically giddy with excitement over this, Castiel. Who knows what we'll find."

The panic on Dean's face mirrored his own. "Where is this info coming from?"

"Bela was going through their online bank statements. The night before our meeting, there was a charge to a cab company. We figure the only reason he would take a taxi was if he was out drinking."

"That's not much to go on," Castiel said, although he was thinking the opposite.

"Still, I'm going to put Michael on it. If there's something there, he'll find it."

"Let me do it. I'm better at getting things out of people."

Dean chose that moment to bite down on his shoulder. Whether it was to keep from saying anything or a way to show his agreement, he wasn't sure.

"You have your hands full, Castiel..."

Truer words were never said, but his brother would be very surprised if he knew what Castiel had his hands full of right now.

"I can handle it. Let me track down the cab lead. Michael can tail Dean."

He ignored the look on Dean's face. He was aware of what this meant, but it was the only thing they could do.

"I'll finish out this weekend. Michael can start Monday."

"Maybe we should just focus all our efforts on this lead. He knows we're following him. What's the point?"

"And whose fault is that? You had to send him the pictures." Castiel didn't even try to keep the anger out of his voice. His brother was a damn idiot at times. Dean shifted, pulling away. He knew this had to be difficult for him, listening to them scheme, and knowing Castiel was a part of it. "I don't need any help, Zachariah. Try to focus on the law aspect of the case, and I'll handle the dirty work."

He tugged Dean forward by his shirt, encouraging him to lay down again, as he threaded his hand through his hair.

"Fine, little brother. But don't screw this up. Sometimes I wonder where your head is at."

Currently it was resting against Dean Winchester's, trying to reassure him, but he wasn't going to mention that to his brother.

'Don't worry about me. I know exactly what I'm doing."

He ended the call before his brother could piss him off even more. Wrapping both arms around Dean, he held him close.

"We're screwed, and not in the good way."

Castiel couldn't argue with that, but he wasn't ready to give up. As long as I'm on this case, they won't find anything."

Dean sat up, regarding him with concern. "Cas, are you sure you want to do this? I hate that you're betraying your family, even if most of them are dicks."

He smiled. "I've already made my choice," he said, kissing him softly. "But we'll have to be more careful. I'm not sure if they'll continue to follow you, but we can't take any chances."

"Okay."

"That means we can't see each other until this thing is over."

"I get it, Cas."

He sounded angry, and Castiel understood his frustration. He felt the same way. This was exactly why he shouldn't have gotten involved with him in the first place. Still, he couldn't regret anything that happened. And he knew he'd do it all over again if given the chance.

"You should go. Before your brother comes looking for you."

"Damn brothers," Dean muttered. "Always interrupting things."

He hugged him tightly. "I'll be around, but I probably won't see you until Micah's party." Before Dean could protest he held up his hand. "Don't worry. I'll wait until everyone else has gone."

He nodded sadly. "I'm still not happy about this. It's too much to ask…"

As an answer, Castiel kissed him deeply, trying to convey how he felt. Finally he pulled away.

"Go home to your kids," he said straightening his clothes. "I'll be right behind you."

As Dean exited the car, he gave Castiel his trademark smirk. "Okay, Mr. Hotshot Lawyer," he said. "Try to keep up."


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: I know it's been a while. Here's an extra long chapter (with lots of Cas and Dean) to make up for it. Thanks to everyone following this story. A special thanks to my reviewers sofiecanwrite, snowin' you, and Jessie…. They're the reason I know someone's still interested in this story. Update to French Kiss Mistake coming soon.

Chapter 13

The quick rap on the car window seemed to echo through the deserted street, as Dean tried to blend further into the shadows. This wasn't the smartest thing he'd ever done, but that seemed to be a common theme lately. Just enough light from the street lamp seeped in, highlighting the sudden movement in the car. He grinned at Castiel as the window rolled down.

"Some spy you are," he said.

"You startled me." It sounded more like an accusation than an explanation.

"Not helping yourself."

"I thought you were asleep," Castiel said, trying and failing to pull off a glare.

Instead of responding, Dean handed him a plastic container.

"What's this?"

"Manicotti." He couldn't help but notice how disheveled Castiel looked. His hair was sticking up even more than usual, and his clothes were crumpled. It was … endearing.

"Thank you, Dean."

"You look dog-tired, Cas. Go home. I promise I won't go do anything picture worthy until you get back."

"I was about to leave actually." He scrubbed his face with his hand, emphasizing his exhaustion. "I wasn't sure you'd come out again."

The vulnerability in his voice was almost painful, but Dean latched on to it. "I wanted to see you."

After a heartbeat, Castiel lowered his eyes, breaking the intensity of the moment. Which was probably for the best, since they were in out in the open.

"You made this?" He sounded skeptical which hurt just a little.

"I can cook, you know."

"I'm not questioning your ability," he said seriously, as he lifted the lid to examine the food. He inhaled, closing his eyes to savor the scent.

Dean bit down on his lip. The inappropriate thoughts revolving around that look of longing on his face were seriously disturbing. The pain helped him focus, effectively deterring him from climbing in the car and continuing where they left off earlier. Of course, that was exactly why he was standing outside, with a window between them in the first place.

"How did you have the time to cook anything?"

"I made it last weekend and froze it for later," he said, hating how domesticated he sounded. "Tonight being later." Sam already made fun of him, although he devoured his dinner like a man starving.

The intense stare softened. "You continue to surprise me, Dean."

The genuine compliment combined with the look in Castiel's eyes had him flustered. He couldn't think of anything to say. Suddenly he remembered the plastic fork stuck in his back pocket. Pulling it out, he handed it to him.

"Thank you." He proceeded to open the container causing Dean to panic.

"Don't eat it yet," he said. At the confused look, he reluctantly explained. "I'm only human, man. Wait until I'm gone." His eyes strayed to Castiel's mouth. He felt too defenseless. He needed sleep, coffee, and several cold showers before he'd be ready to watch him eat. Not necessarily in that order.

He must have understood, because his eyes darkened, and for a moment, Dean thought he was going to ignore his request. Castiel cleared his throat. "Where is everyone?"

"Kids are asleep," he said, relieved at the change of subject. "Sammy's going over Bela's stuff on the computer. Hopefully he'll find something."

"I should probably go."

His statement was abrupt, but probably prompted by the thought of Sam coming out and finding them. Dean was suddenly antsy to get back inside.

"I won't come tomorrow, if you don't want me to, Dean."

He flushed guiltily at that. He'd almost forgotten. "You made quite an impression on my daughter. She kept asking me if you were coming to her party." He peeked at Castiel nervously. "I'm sorry. I caved. I told her you'd be there."

"I'm glad," he said with a small smile. "I honestly can't wait."

Dean wanted to kiss him just on principle. Instead he reached in and captured his hand. "I told her you had to work, but you'd be there after the party, once everyone was gone." His need to touch him was pathetic.

Castiel seemed to understand, squeezing his hand affectionately, and looking like he wanted to do more.

"She's planning on saving you a piece of cake," Dean said, feeling like he needed to say something. Even if it was about cake.

"If you made it, I'm definitely looking forward to it."

"Jo helped, but yeah. I better go." If he didn't he was in danger of getting lost in the feel of Castiel's hand. The sound of his voice. The scent of his aftershave. God, he was so screwed.

"Okay, see you tomorrow, Dean." He let go of his hand, and for a moment Dean thought he was going to kiss him. That was definitely a bad idea. In the street. Where anyone including Sammy could see them.

The moment slipped away, as Dean distanced himself from the car.

"See ya, Cas," he said with a wink.

Sam was pacing the living room when he walked in.

"Where did you go?"

"Just outside, getting some air," he said, feeling his excuse was lame, but too tired to concoct something better.

Thankfully, his brother was too excited to dwell on it.

"I think I've got something," he said.

Castiel was forgotten. At least for the moment.

The plan had been revised to Sam examining everything: bank accounts, emails, credit cards… even social media and browsing history. He wasn't sure how he was going to accomplish it, since she probably covered her tracks, but Dean had no doubt he'd figure it out.

"What did you find?"

"Almost nothing."

"Sam." He glared at him. Seriously, why would he get his hopes up like that?

"And that's important, Dean. Bela didn't use her debit card or credit cards during the time she was gone. She didn't write a check, either. In fact, the day before she left she took a lot of money out of your account. Not enough for you to notice, but enough so she could pay cash for everything."

"Not sure how that helps."

"At the very least, we know she wasn't at her parents."

"Maybe they paid for everything. They have the money."

"Then why take out the cash?"

Dean nodded. This was good. They finally had something indicating Bela was lying. Still it wasn't enough. "Did you find anything that tells us where she went?"

"Not yet," he said with a sigh. "Don't worry. I'll find it."

The defeat in his voice made Dean feel like a selfish ass. "We've got time, Sammy. Right now you need to focus on passing your finals."

"Fine. But at least let me show you some places you can look…"

"You're the nerd of the family. Let's keep it that way." He really didn't want to get Sam talking about computer things. Plus if Cas was still outside, he could let him know he was right about her. Not that there was much doubt.

His brother was walking away, expecting him to follow, and he knew his chance to see Cas again at that point was slim.

"Don't worry," Sam said. "I'll keep it simple, and go slow, just for you."

"Bitch."

"Jerk."

* * *

Dean was a ball of nerves as they finished the cake. Jo watched him suspiciously.

"You okay?"

"Sure," he said. "Just want Micah to have a great party."

She didn't appear to believe him but thankfully didn't challenge him on it.

The invitee's list was small. Although a few neighborhood children were there, it mostly consisted of family. Jo and her mom, Ellen. Bobby and Sam.

Everything was almost ready when his mature brother started an argument with a four year old girl.

"You're my little Micah Bear because bears are better," he said.

Dean shook his head. This was a common game between them. He just didn't have time for it.

"Uh uh," she answered. "Frogs are better, Uncle Sammy, cuz they can jump real far."

"Well, bears can climb."

"Frogs," she insisted.

"Bears."

"Yadadabamababa!" Eli jabbered, determined to be the loudest voice in the room.

Jo watched with amusement.

"Could we table this argument for later?" Dean said. "You know, when guests aren't about to arrive?"

"Just trying to prepare my niece for her career in law. She needs to strengthen her debate skills."

"Not today, Sammy."

He had the distinct feeling Sam was laughing at him. But he couldn't say anything because he knew his nervousness was less about the party and more about the possibility of having Castiel in his home later.

"Wait 'til Uncle Bobby gets here. He likes frogs."

"Uncle Bobby is old and senile."

"What's see…nile?" she asked.

"Never mind, sweetie. Uncle Sammy's just silly. Let's go fix your hair."

The cake was a success. It was strawberry, Micah's favorite. White icing served as the background for a green frog on a pink lily pad. Sam's argument that lily pads weren't pink was ignored by all. Lawyers had no imagination.

Except that thought reminded him of Castiel, and he had to admit, in this instance he wasn't sure it applied. As detail and fact driven as the other man was, there were moments when he was very imaginative, and he had to shut down those thoughts immediately.

Micah was excited about all of her presents. There was quite the mix: a few games, a tea set, a princess tiara, and a t-ball set.

She didn't understand why she couldn't play ball right then, but a quick discussion of having to change out of her dress, convinced her. She wanted Cas to see her all dressed up.

Which was enough to remind her.

"I want Cath," she said whining just a bit. Too much excitement and sugar probably contributed to that.

"Cat?"

"Cath," she repeated. Loudly.

"What's she talking about?" Sam asked giving him a weird look.

"Who knows, Sammy," he said, feeling only slightly guilty. "She's four."

Yet, it was sometimes easy to forget that. Micah was definitely too smart for her own good. It wasn't long before she started pushing people out the door. Sometimes literally. He quickly realized her plan.

Although he shared her sentiment, his excitement of seeing Cas again making him feel slightly pathetic, he couldn't encourage her actions.

"Micah," he said sternly, taking her aside. "Don't be rude. Everyone's here to see you."

"But I want to see Cath." Her lip trembled.

"Me, too, sweetie," he said. "But pushing people away, won't make him get here any sooner." He felt awful, but it was a necessary lie.

She was instantly happy again, and he envied her ability to bounce back so quickly. That particular skill would come in handy.

Everyone started leaving not long after that. Uncle Bobby giving her a big hug that had Dean smiling. Bobby had always been around when they were kids, helping their dad out of messes. Still, he'd been a gruff old coot, not this sweet teddy bear he was around both the kids. It was probably the surrogate grandpa thing.

Jo was the last to leave, offering to help clean up. He waved her off. Sam was already in his room, studying. Dean knew from experience that he would be in there for hours.

He stepped outside to wave goodbye to Jo, signaling Castiel in the process. Hopefully, he was paying more attention than he had the last few days. As he cleaned up, the kids playing with Micah's stash of new toys, his excitement and nervousness at seeing Castiel again irritated him. He needed to get a grip.

The knock at the door earned a squeal of delight from Micah. She danced around, pulling Dean forward.

"Cath is here."

Castiel looked good. Really good, and for a moment Dean was distracted. The blue in his shirt brought out the color in his eyes, and he had to swallow the lump in his throat.

"Hello, Dean."

Before he even collected his thoughts, Micah took over.

"Welcome to my party, Cath," she said sweetly. He was pretty sure she'd been practicing that line. It had the desired effect. He could tell Castiel was immediately charmed.

"Thank you for inviting me, Micah."

Grabbing his hand, she pulled him toward the table. "Daddy made me a cake, and I got presents."

Eli toddled over, curious now that someone new was there.

"Do you want some cake, Cath?" she asked. "It's stawbeddy." Her missing teeth caused her to have a slight lisp. "I saved you some."

"I've been looking forward to it all day," he said.

She ran to the kitchen to get the one she wrapped up for him. Some of the icing came off with the foil, but Castiel didn't seem to care.

"Wow. That must have been some cake. Do you have a picture?" He glanced up at Dean, who was caught staring.

Awesome.

He pulled out his phone to show off the cake, ignoring how much he enjoyed the brush of his hand as Castiel took it from him.

"This is really cool," he said, looking at Dean with admiration. "I'm impressed."

"Thanks, Cas."

"Taste it," Micah said, not happy about sharing his attention.

He sat at the table and took a bite of the cake. Dean felt like he and Micah were both too invested in his reaction.

"This is amazing." He, indeed, sounded amazed, and it made Dean ridiculously happy.

The sounds he was making paired with the sight of him enjoying his cake was almost too much. Dean cleared his throat to get his attention. "Tone it down a little, okay?"

A wicked grin appeared on his handsome face, telling him it was all intentional. Dean knew he had to stop watching.

"What do you want to drink?" he asked instead.

"Water's fine."

Castiel ended up having a second piece. Dean wasn't sure if the cake was really that good or if Cas just enjoyed torturing him.

Then Micah showed him all of her presents, giving commentary on every single one.

"And Daddy got me this 'cause I'm going to play T-ball this year." She held up the bat proudly. "Can you come to my games, Cath? Please?"

"I'm not sure. I don't know when they are." He must have learned his lesson somewhat. The games were months away, and who knew what was going to happen between now and then.

"Do you have room for one more present?"

Her eyes lit up, and she nodded in excitement. Castiel produced a gift bag, seemingly out of nowhere. Throwing the tissue paper everywhere, she hastened to pull out her prize.

"Daddy," she said, holding it up. "Look what Cath gave me."

"You made this?" he asked, studying the small frog in admiration.

"Yes."

"You knit?" He wasn't making fun, he just couldn't envision it.

"No."

Dean stared at him in confusion.

"It's amigurumi. It's crocheted."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Same thing."

"It's really not."

"Hey, Cas it's cool," he said. "I think my grandma used to make those." Okay, so he lied about not making fun of him. It was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

"Who made this cake, again?"

"Daddy," said Micah loudly, causing Castiel to laugh.

"Just...shut up," he said softly, when his daughter wasn't looking.

Elijah tugged on his leg, wanting to be held. He was glad for the distraction. Castiel in his home, laughing and having fun like he belonged there, was making him feel things. Dangerous things.

"Thank you, Cath," Micah said. They had practiced saying thank you, and he was glad to see she hadn't forgotten.

"You're very welcome."

Suddenly she was hugging him, taking Castiel by surprise, and then she was off again introducing her new frog to her other toys. When she returned she announced proudly that her new froggy's name was 'Cath'.

They played for a little while, Castiel joining in on their tea party. Dean held Eli as he pretended to drink his from his cup, watching Castiel and Micah discuss what frogs eat and don't eat. He knew they were pushing their luck. Sam could come out at any time. Still, he was hesitant to end the night. This was the last chance for them to spend any time together until after the case was over. Castiel would be busy trying to divert Zachariah's little investigation. Dean would be doing some investigating of his own.

He just wanted it to be over. He hated having to choose between Castiel and his family.

Because his children would always come first. And where did that leave them?

Their eyes met as Micah chattered on about butterflies.

"I should go," Castiel said quietly. Dean nodded, knowing it was the best thing.

"Can Cath read our bedtime story?"

"I don't think so, sweetie. Cas has to go home."

In the end the puppy dog eyes won out. It wasn't really fair since Dean had experience resisting and Castiel did not.

The kids had to have their baths first. There were some occasions when they could skip, but Eli's hair was sticking straight up with icing giving it some extra volume. Although he'd done some preliminary clean up on both kids, but it wasn't enough.

They finished the bath in record time, with Castiel staying in the living room. Dean's biggest fear was that his brother walk in and find him there. Good thing Micah was anxious to have her story and didn't dawdle.

The kids were in their pajamas, teeth brushed, when Dean motioned for Castiel to join them. They piled on the bed. Dean on one side, Cas on the other, with the kids in between. Micah had her favorite book ready. No surprise it featured a frog prince as the main character.

When he hesitated, Dean gave him an encouraging smile, trying not to laugh. The legendary Castiel Novak was nervous about reading a children's story.

After Micah interrupted him for the third time, Dean was afraid he'd give up. It wasn't Castiel's fault. How was he to know that it had to be read the exact same way each time? His voice was fairly monotone so when he read the word "boom", Micah cracked up, shaking her head.

"Now what?" He looked at Dean for assistance.

Dean leaned closer to see the book. Not really necessary since he practically had it memorized. "She added the seed to the magic potion. Boom!" he read, emphasizing the last word loudly, complete with hand motions. Micah and Eli were both giggling.

"I think I understand." Castiel continued reading to the end, trying and failing to put the correct inflection on the words.

"Read it again," Micah said.

"Book. Book," Eli chanted.

Castiel looked pained. "I don't understand. Why would you want to hear it again?"

"They're stalling," Dean said. "Time for bed." He tucked Micah in, kissing her forehead. "Night, sweetie."

"Night, Daddy. Night, Cas." She looked at him expectantly.

He leaned over, giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Micah," he said. "I had a wonderful time at your party."

Her smile was bright as she held up her newest prize. "Cath turn."

He gave the small frog a kiss, passing it to Dean. "Give Cas a kiss," he said with a wink.

After the kisses were given, they headed out the door with Eli in tow. The baby was practically asleep in his arms already. Dean rocked him to sleep, humming Air Supply. It was peaceful, and even more perfect when Cas reached for his hand. It was almost painful knowing it was going to end soon.

"I think he's asleep, Dean."

He nodded, getting up and laying the baby in his crib. They left the room, careful not to wake him.

"Do you want me to help clean up?"

"No, thanks, I got it. Besides, Sam could come out at any time. I'm kind of surprised we've been lucky so far."

They held hands as they walked to the door. "How did you know Micah liked frogs?" He wasn't sure what to say, and the question had bugged him all night.

"I'm observant," he said. "She was wearing a frog dress and carrying a frog when I first met her. Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"You take care of the kids, work a full time job… You're a wonderful father. How do you do it all?"

Dean wasn't sure how to answer. The admiration was almost overwhelming. "I'm just amazing," he said jokingly.

"You really are." Castiel kissed him sweetly. "Thanks for sharing this with me. You have a beautiful family."

"Cas," he said softly, before brushing their lips together. There was too much he couldn't say, couldn't admit, even to himself. He deepened the kiss, pouring his feelings into it.

Finally, Castiel pulled away, sighing heavily. "I should go, Dean."

"I know," he agreed reluctantly, opening the door before he could change his mind.

"Hey, Dean do you have…?" Sam stopped, staring at them both.

Just a few more minutes, and Castiel would have been out the door.

The smile on his brother's face was wide as he walked over and held out his hand. "Hi. I'm Sam, Dean's brother. I don't think we've officially met."

Castiel shook his hand, appearing a little lost. He glanced up at Dean before responding.

"Hello, Sam," he said finally. "I'm Jimmy."


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Thanks to everyone for the great response! Especially HuntingWithAngels, catbean715, aramit, snowin' you, Destiel007, sofiecanwrite, and islands.

Chapter 14

"I know what's going on here," Sam said. "I'm not blind.",

Dean hid his growing panic, a skill he perfected while living with Bela.

After the awkward introductions, Castiel had hightailed it out of there pretty quick. Dean's off-handed comment as he left that he could pick his car up in the morning, obviously hadn't fooled anyone.

"No clue what you're talking about."

Sam gave him the look. The one that said _why are you making this so damn hard?_

He hated not being honest, but if this thing went south, and Castiel got in trouble, he didn't want Sam caught in the crossfire.

"I know who he is, Dean."

And just like that his plan fell apart. It was all his fault. He'd been careless, risking everything for a few stolen moments. All he wanted to do was protect his brother and Castiel, and he couldn't even do that without messing it up. Still, he gave nothing away.

"He's just a client, Sammy."

"Stop," he said shaking his head. "Just stop lying to me. I've been on your computer."

"Wait… what?"

"Bela erased all her browser history, which indicates again that she's hiding something."

"So?" What did that have to do with Castiel?

"So, the only browser history on there is recent. Yours."

"Not following you," he said. He wasn't kidding. He seriously had no idea what Sam was trying to get at. There was nothing Castiel related on his computer. He was very careful.

"Dean, you can be honest with me. I'm your brother."

That's when he realized Sam wasn't angry or outraged. He was in his 'I'm here for you' mode. That just made him more nervous.

"You had porn on your computer."

"What can I say? I'm a guy."

"Gay porn, Dean."

He felt the color drain from his face. "You checked?"

"I didn't have to. The names of some of those sites were fairly obvious." He could tell Sam was trying not to laugh.

Remembering back to some of them, Dean felt queasy. He would never be able to look his brother in the eye again. "I'm going to clean up."

Sam sighed in exasperation. "Dean…let's talk about this. Okay? So you're gay. I don't care."

"I'm not gay." Although, not even he could believe it at this point.

"Deny all you want, but there's no way Jimmy was here about car repairs."

Dean turned back, staring at him in disbelief. "Wait, you think I brought a hookup to my house? Around my kids?"

Sam shook his head. "Of course not."

He felt slightly better. Not much but still.

"I think it's more serious than that."

Dean walked away, effectively ending the conversation. His brother was too close to the truth, and he just couldn't deal with that right now. Not with the feel of Castiel's lips on his still fresh.

Grateful that Sam didn't follow him, he started cleaning the kitchen, throwing out trash and piling up the dishes in the sink. They could wait until morning to wash.

Even if Sam suspected, he didn't know all of it, and Dean was thankful for that. It would be much worse if he knew Castiel was Bela's lawyer and that he was helping them.

* * *

"Do you think mommy will remember me?" The fear in his daughter's voice broke his heart. He seriously wanted to strangle Bela all over again for causing them so much pain.

In all the excitement, he conveniently forgot about the visit today. The kids were dressed up as if they were on display. Looking their best for their mommy. Wasn't there just something wrong with that?

The visit was early in the morning. Not like they typically went to church on Sundays anyway. He just wanted it to occur before nap time, and he was glad he didn't have to stew about it all day. Not when he had other things to stew about.

They walked the short distance to their neighbor's home. Mrs. Wilson was in her 60s, very sweet, and always knitting something. Although maybe it was crocheting. Hell, he couldn't tell the difference. But it did, unfortunately, remind him of Castiel. Those two would probably get along great, talking patterns and drinking Earl Grey tea together.

Her house always smelled of cinnamon and other spices, and the kids were excited to see her. She hugged them quickly and handed them each a cookie.

Dean was annoyed, but not surprised, to find they had arrived first. And even though he didn't really want Bela to have anything to do with the kids, he would be severely pissed if she didn't show up, hurting them again.

"Mommy is coming right?" Micah asked for the fifth time since they arrived.

"Yeah, honey she'll be here. Don't worry." Dean was worrying enough for all of them. About ten minutes later she breezed in as if nothing had happened. As if she hadn't left the kids high and dry, and not seen them for over a month. Micah hugged her tightly. Elijah was a little hesitant at first, but he soon warmed up, climbing into her lap, and staying there for most of the visit.

Bela brought presents for kids, and it bugged him. It was as if she was trying to buy their love. Of course, it was Micah's birthday so he couldn't really say anything. But he was determined not to let her do it all the time.

And to be honest, it was totally unnecessary. In spite of her shortcomings, they loved her. She was appropriate during the visit, and there was nothing concerning… which was concerning all on its own. It reminded him that Bela was their mother, and she probably loved them, regardless of the mistakes she'd made.

"See my new froggy, mommy?" Micah said, pulling out her crocheted frog.

Dean cringed. He should've had her leave it at home, but they've been inseparable since she got it.

"Another froggy?" She looked over at Dean as if to share a private joke. _So many frogs. Would she ever get over this obsession? _Dean smiled slightly before stopping himself. They were not friends. They were not even on good terms. He frowned. He didn't want to have any good thoughts about her. Not after what she had done. He had to keep reminding himself of that.

"So what's your froggy's name?" she asked.

"Cath."

Dean tried not to squirm. If only there was some way he could distract them.

"You named your frog, cat?"

"No mommy, Cath. Because Cath gave it to me."

Dean was in full on panic mode now. Would she realize "Cath" was Castiel? Surely she couldn't figure that out.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What's she talking about?" she asked Dean.

He shrugged, feeling horribly guilty. Not about lying to Bela. The bitch deserved it. No, he felt like he was somehow betraying his little girl. But it was necessary.

"Give Cath a kiss, mommy." As Bela dutifully kissed the frog, Dean hid a smile. Castiel had mentioned how he and Bela didn't quite get along. She probably wouldn't appreciate kissing a frog named after him.

The rest of the visit was uneventful. Until it was time to go. At that point, Micah grabbed Bela's hand and looked up at Dean.

"Can mommy come home with us?"

Bela appeared as frantic as he felt. This was going to be harder than he realized.

"No sweetie," Bela said, kissing her on the cheek. "Mommy's living with grandma and grandpa right now."

"Why?" Micah asked.

Bela glanced at Dean. He raised an eyebrow. That was a good question. Why this all had happened in the first place was a damn good question. He knew he deserved answers, but the children even more. Not that they could handle the truth. But still, it was nice to see Bela squirm for a while.

"Mommy has things to work out," she said. "But we're going to have more visits."

"Then will you come home?"

"Okay, time to go," Dean said, getting Bela out of her misery. He couldn't take anymore. It was too heartbreaking. But if he thought Micah was hard, he was totally unprepared for Eli. He refused to detach from her arms, and Dean had to pry him off. Both kids cried the whole way home.

* * *

"It was awful Jo," Dean said. "Just plain awful. The kids were torn up about losing her again."

"Are you going to keep having visits?"

"What choice do we have? I mean, she is their mother. I just realize how hard it would be for them. It pisses me off that she did this to them in the first place."

"I know." She handed Dean a plate. They were finishing up the dishes he was too exhausted and frustrated to do the night before. "I can't believe how long it took to get them down for their nap."

"Thanks for helping me with them and the cleaning. I didn't get much done last night."

Jo smiled knowingly, and he was immediately suspicious.

"Did Sam leave already?" she asked.

"Yup. I hope he does okay on his finals. Not sure how much studying he got done. He shouldn't have come home at all." He glared at her. It was her fault.

She ignored it. "So how's Jimmy. I mean Castiel."

Dean slammed the mug down he was drying. Luckily it didn't break. "Okay, out with it."

She smiled, enjoying herself. "Sam was just asking me if I knew Jimmy and if you guys were serious."

Just what he needed. "What did you tell him?"

"Nothing, Dean," she said. "Have I ever told anyone? But I am wondering what your yummy lawyer friend was doing in your house. That seems risky."

He avoided answering, feigning an interest in getting the plate in his hand as dry as possible.

"Why are you hiding things from me?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

After several minutes of pleading, she convinced him to talk. He hadn't planned on telling her much, but he had to admit, it felt good confiding in someone. He explained how they were looking into what Bela did for the weeks she was gone, and that Cas was helping. She was suitably impressed.

"But why don't you want Sam to know? Is it the gay thing?"

"No. It's not … that." He waved his hands around. "What Cas is doing isn't exactly ethical or legal probably. The Novaks are very powerful in attorney land. If they think Sam was a part of this, they could destroy his career before it even starts. I mean, I'm hoping no one will find out, but I'm also trying to be careful."

"Then maybe you shouldn't be playing house with the hot lawyer."

"Jo…"

"Kidding. But he is giving up a lot for you," she said with a somewhat dreamy look on her face. "Tell me more about you and Cas."

"Don't you have a love life of your own to worry about?"

"Love huh?"

He rolled his eyes, trying not to blush or something equally stupid.

"Come on Dean. Give me something."

"I don't know what this is, okay?" he said finally. "If I can't figure it out myself, how can I explain it to you? I will admit, I liked having Cas here. He's great with the kids."

"Like a little family. Aw, my Dean is in love." She put her head on his shoulder.

"Shut up," he said, pushing her away.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Thanks to sofia-sama, plonkeydonkey, Deathtruction, and HuntingWithAngels for reviewing the last chapter, and to everyone still reading.

Chapter 15

Castiel scowled as he shifted papers on his desk to make room for his coffee. His office looked like something out of a CSI episode. Papers scattered everywhere. Diagrams and pictures were tacked on the walls. Names and dates were scribbled on sticky notes and littered every available space.

He hated when things weren't in order. It made him cranky. Even more so when it was a total waste of time.

It had taken them a few days to get it all together. Castiel stalled as much as he could without drawing any attention to himself. Zachariah grew impatient quickly, pushing until he had no choice but to move ahead.

Zachariah had great instincts. It usually resulted in them getting that key information they needed to win the case. This time was no different. Finding out where Dean was that night and who he was with would definitely tilt the case in Bela's favor.

But it could also damage the firm and tear apart both families. Castiel was determined not to let that happen.

No one could find out that he was the one with Dean that night.

"So I don't understand how this helps us?" Michael said, staring at the map on the wall.

"Simple," Castiel said. "We know how much Dean spent on the cab that night. Taking into account how much they charge by the mile, and by the minute, and looking at what the traffic is usually like at that time of night, gives us the radius of the area we need to search."

"What if he left a tip?"

"It was the same amount there and back. So if he did leave a tip, at least he was consistent," Castiel said. "Let's see, if he left a $2 tip that would change the radius to…" He did the math in his head, although he already knew the answer. Dean didn't leave a tip. "That changes the radius to 14 miles."

He added push pins to the additional bars and restaurants they needed to search. He also added them to the list currently displayed next to the map. The gay bars and some eateries, just so it wasn't obvious, didn't make that list. He had an explanation ready if questioned, but his brother didn't even notice.

Michael helping him made things a thousand times more complicated, but Zachariah had insisted. When Castiel asked about who was following Dean, he said he had that covered.

He tried not to think about Dean at all. They couldn't see each other. It was too dangerous. He just had to take care of things on his end and hope Dean was making progress on Bela's whereabouts for those two weeks.

"Ready to go bar hopping?" Michael snatched the list off the board, his excitement evident.

Castiel couldn't share his enthusiasm. "Might as well get it over with."

The first place they went to was a biker bar. It was one Castiel was sure Dean would never go to. In the back of his mind, there was that niggling doubt. What if Dean hadn't been honest with him? What if that night hadn't been the first time? What if there was someone else?

Starting with the least likely place was his way of boosting his confidence.

He trusted Dean. He really did. But there was a lot at stake.

No one recognized the picture of Dean, or of Jo for that matter, although several lewd comments were made about wanting to get to know her.

The next bar on their list was more promising, and not in a good way. Castiel was used to being in stressful, high pressured situations, but never was it something so personal. So important. As the young blond bartender scrutinized the picture, he resisted the urge to snatch it back out of her hand.

"He's yummy," she said with a smirk. "I think I'd remember him."

He grabbed his picture, relieved and annoyed at the same time. They circumvented the place, showing the pictures to the scattering of patrons. They all responded with the same negative answer.

It was more of the same at the next few, and Castiel started to relax. As long as they stuck to their list they should be in the clear. Then he could report back to Zachariah, and hopefully forget the whole thing.

They also visited a few restaurants that sold liquor. Just to give the appearance of being thorough. He thought they might get a hit at one of those places, but obviously Dean didn't get out much at all.

The next bar was different from the rest. It was less of a destination for those drinking and more of a home. The patrons were serious drinkers, and they all seemed to be settled in to their liquor of choice, even though it was still early. Castiel had a bad feeling about the place as soon as they walked in.

"We're looking for this man," he said to the bartender, holding up the photo.

The man was older, grislier, and not very friendly.

"Why?"

He was thrown for a second by the abruptness of the question. "That is of no import," he responded, holding out $20. "Have you seen him?"

The man just stared at him until with a sigh, Castiel added another $10. Seriously, all he needed was a quick 'no' so they could move on. Was that so difficult? "Have you seen him?"

"Yup," he said, taking the money. "Been in here plenty of times."

Castiel wasn't expecting that answer and was sure he must've heard wrong. It had to be a mistake. Maybe the guy was just angling for more money.

"Now we're getting somewhere." Michael was practically bouncing with excitement. "Anyone with him?"

"You kidding me? There's always someone with him. Never the same girl though. Real stud." His voice was full of sarcasm and disdain.

Castiel was trying not to panic. There had to be an explanation. Dean wouldn't lie to him.

"Are you sure it was this man?" he said. "Look at it again."

Irritated, the bartender examined the picture and handed it back to Castiel.

"I'm sure. I think I know Dean Winchester when I see him."


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Thanks to everyone reading! Especially my reviewers sofia-sama, snowin' you, dancingonthehorizon, Deathtruction, catbean715, and Pyro42x. You guys are awesome!

Chapter 16

Michael was practically bouncing up and down in excitement, and Castiel had the sudden urge to smack him. He definitely couldn't share in his enthusiasm. A feeling of uncertainty crept over him. Had Dean lied to him?

"Was this girl with him?" Michael asked shoving the picture at the bartender.

The man studied it for longer than was necessary. "Jo was always with him," he said finally. "But she deserved better."

"I thought you said he was a womanizer. If he was always with Jo, how can that be true?"

The cantankerous old man pulled up to his full height as he glared at Castiel as if he was a cockroach under his boot. "There were always women around him. How the hell should I know what they were up to? This ain't no gossip magazine. If you got what you came for, I suggest you leave."

Castiel noticed the guy seemed to have a soft spot for Jo. And while that was interesting, it still wasn't getting them anywhere. "Just a few more questions. Please," he added for good measure.

The bartender didn't say anything. He started wiping down the bar as if they weren't even there. Castiel decided to take it as agreement.

"Was Dean here about a month ago? It would have been…"

"No." He spoke without looking up from his task.

"You don't even know what day."

"Doesn't matter."

Castiel and Michael exchanged looks. He didn't know if the guy was being uncooperative, or if he was telling the truth about Dean not being there.

"Are you sure?" Michael said. "Maybe you just missed him."

"Look here," he said, finally glancing up. He was obviously pissed. "There ain't no way Dean Winchester's been in here in the last month. Or the last year for that matter."

Hope sprang dangerously alive in Castiel's chest. The bartender seemed really certain.

Michael was not as happy. "But you can't know for sure, right?"

The man shook his head in disbelief at their persistence. "Dean would be a damn fool to come in here again. Unless he wanted to go to jail. That boy's banned. For life. In fact, I heard he's got some kids now. They're also banned. No damn Winchesters allowed in my bar. Ever. You got that?"

They both backed up from the furious man. His eyes blazed, clearly indicating it was time for them to leave. But Castiel had to know.

"When _was_ the last time Dean was here?"

He sighed in resignation. "About five years ago," he said, clearly answering their questions just to get rid of them. "He beat the crap out of some guy and tore up my bar. I had him arrested, but dropped the charges when he agreed to never come back."

"Oh. This is _that_ bar," Michael said, ignoring Castiel's irritated glare. "So Dean has a bad temper."

"Can't blame it all on him. He came by it honest. And that guy was talking shit on his daddy. It was just the last straw. Winchesters have been causing me problems for as long as I can remember. John Winchester was a mean drunk, and his son liked to follow in his footsteps. Plus I didn't care for the way he treated Jo. It wasn't right."

"Thanks for your help," Castiel said, dragging his brother out. Suddenly their moods had switched. Michael seemed depressed, while he felt lighter than air. Dean had been telling the truth.

They quickly finished the last of the bars and returned to the office. Zachariah wouldn't be happy, but Castiel didn't care. Everything seemed to finally be working out.

* * *

The meeting with Zachariah didn't actually happen until the next day. While Castiel was glad for the reprieve, he knew it was only temporary.

When they finally did meet, his brother was surprisingly not upset that they hadn't found anything incriminating.

"There's something here, boys. I just know it," he said smiling widely and managing to look like a shark on ecstasy. His mood had the opposite effect on Castiel. The happier he got, the worse Castiel felt.

"You covered every bar in that radius? Maybe we need to increase our area. Hell, for all we know, he could have walked a mile or two before hooking up with someone."

"That seems unlikely…" Castiel began, before he was interrupted by Michael.

"We didn't go to every bar."

"Excuse me?"

"We didn't go to the gay bars. I mean this is Dean Winchester we're talking about."

There had been no way of stopping Michael without being obvious. Not that it mattered. Zachariah was contemplating him as if he was a screw that just wasn't fitting in the way it was supposed to. He knew how thorough Castiel was. Dismissing something because it was unlikely wasn't his style at all.

"Castiel?"

There was no getting out of this. Right now, the goal was to remove the suspicious glint from his brother's eye. He'd deal with the consequences later.

"We were just checking out the most likely places first. You taught me that, Zachariah."

The smile turned oily. "Then it seems you have more work to do."

Castiel was able to hide his frustration and anger for the moment, but he seriously needed to punch something. And soon. Maybe he could go to the gym for a quick workout before hitting the streets again. There was no hurry. And the longer he took, the better chance they had that no one would remember.

"I want this done by 3:00 this afternoon."

There went that plan out the window.

"Why?" he asked. "What happens at 3?

"We're having another meeting with between Bela and Dean Winchester. Although, it was at her insistence, I think it's a great idea. We have him where we want him. Get us that information, Castiel, and we'll have all we need to force him into a deal."

Castiel knew there was no way Dean would agree to anything less than him getting the kids, but he kept that information to himself. "That doesn't give us much time. We have several places to go …"

"Then you better get started."

Since the conversation was obviously over, he led Michael to his office where they perused the previously neglected places on the list. There were several they still needed to check out. If he worked it right, they could go to _their_ bar last. That way they could rush through it without Michael getting suspicious.

Castiel's plan to lead this investigation suddenly seemed foolish. Dean wasn't the only one in danger of getting recognized.


End file.
